THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


^^J^COU£CTi 


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in  2010  witii  funding  from 

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KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

%  Wm  €tme  dS^torp  of 


BY 


CAROLINE  BROWN 


"  /  must  become  a  borrower  of  the  night 
For  a  dark  hour  or  twain." 

Shakbspkasb 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND   COMPANY 

1900 


COPYRIGHT,    1900,    BY   HOUGHTON,   MIFFLIN    &  CO. 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


SDeDicatcD  to 

THE  MEMORY  OF  OLIVER  PERRY  MORTON 

THE  GREAT  WAR  GOVERNOR,  PATRIOT  AND 

STATESMAN ;  A  MIGHTY  INSTRUMENT 

IN  THE  SALVATION  OF  HIS 

COUNTRY 


603007 


PKEFACE 

While  presenting  the  romantic  and  tragic  sides 
of  the  situation  with  which  this  story  deals,  the 
author  has  not  strayed  from  the  truth,  but  has 
used  the  romancer's  privilege  of  gathering  into  a 
narrative  facts  from  many  sources.  Except  in 
those  chapters  dealing  with  sentiment,  —  as  com- 
mon in  times  of  storm  and  stress  as  in  tranquillity 
and  safety,  —  every  incident  is  founded  on  facts, 
which  were  either  actual  experiences  of  the  au- 
thor's kith  and  kin,  or  else  the  observation  of  eye- 
witnesses. But  by  far  the  most  important  part 
was  gleaned  from  the  record  of  the  treason  trials, 
as  reported  and  published  by  Benn  Pitman,  the  offi- 
cial stenographer  ;  and  wherever  the  ritual  of  the 
order  is  quoted,  it  is  taken  from  this  report.  Ma- 
terial was  also  collected  from  Greeley's  "American 
Conflict,"  Barnes's  "  History  of  the  United  States," 
three  different  lives  of  Governor  Morton,  and  the 
files  of  the  "  Indianapolis  Journal "  for  1863  and 
1864. 

History    slurs    over    the    proceedings   of    the 


vi  PREFACE 

Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle  as  a  matter  of  little 
moment ;  and  we  of  a  later  generation  can  hardly 
credit  the  extent  of  the  organization,  and  the 
heinousness  of  its  aims,  which  included  crime  and 
the  disruption  of  the  Union.  Yet  Governor  Mor- 
ton managed  to  keep  every  act  of  these  Knights 
under  surveillance.  "  There  was  not  a  moment," 
says  Dudley  Foulke,  "  in  which  they  were  not 
held  securely  in  the  grip  of  the  war  governor  of 
Indiana."  Quietly  and  firmly  he  broke  up  the 
organization  by  arresting  the  leaders,  and  pre- 
vented an  uprising  which,  if  successful,  would 
have  told  very  seriously  on  the  outcome  of  the 
war.  Six  men  who  were  the  leaders  of  the  order 
in  Indiana  were  tried  before  a  military  commis- 
sion and  found  guilty  of  treason,  but  were  par- 
doned by  Mr.  Johnson,  after  the  assassination  of 
President  Lincoln,  through  the  intercession  of 
Governor  Morton  himself. 


CONTENTS 

CHIP.  PAGB 

I.  The  QuiLTrNG  at  Mrs.  Bowles's    ...  1 

n.  An  Awkwakd  Squad 9 

in.  "Companions  of  Owls" 17 

rV.  Moke  Light 27 

V.  At  "Meeting" 32 

VI.  The  Tin-Peddler 38 

VII.   The  Whittakers 47 

VIII.  "The  Lone  Star" 63 

IX.   Mrs.  Whittaker  Vindicated          ...  71 

X.  The  Polling  Officer 78 

XI.  Overheard 88 

Xn.  A  Hearth-stone  Heroine  ....  97 

XIII.  The  Barn-Burning Ill 

XIV.  The  Rivals 121 

XV.  The  Barbecue 131 

XVI.  A  Friend  in  Need 142 

XVII.  In  Bear  Den  Hollow 148 

XVIII.   Treats  of  Failures 157 

XIX.  An  Object  of  Suspicion 165 

XX.   The  Rescue 177 

XXI.  The  Report  to  the  Governor     .        .        .  191 

XXII.  The  Meetlng  of  the  Grand  Council       .  202 

XXm.  Mrs.  Neal's  Guest 211 

XXIV.  A  Prisoner  of  War 224 

XXV.  The  "  Uprising  " .232 

XXVI.   Captive  and  Captor 242 

XXVII.  Capitulation 252 

XXVin.  The  Treason  Trlal 270 


KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 


CHAPTER  I 

THE   QUILTESTG  AT  MRS.    BOWLES'S 

A  SCORE  of  women  were  seated  down  the  loner 
sides  of  a  gaudy  calico  quilt  set  up  in  frames  in 
Mrs.  Sarah  Bowles's  best  room.  They  were  sewing 
on  it  with  more  or  less  skill  and  with  lagging  in- 
dustry amid  the  hum  of  voices,  subdued  to  a  much 
softer  key  than  was  usual  with  them;  and  they 
were  indulging  in  such  mild  gossip  as  the  rural 
community  in  which  they  lived  had  furnished. 

The  hostess  sat  at  one  end  of  the  frames,  and 
kept  an  austere  eye  on  her  guests.  She  had  the 
air  of  a  guard  over  prisoners,  rather  than  that  of 
an  affable  hostess,  and  her  guests  showed  they  felt 
it  by  stealthy  glances  and  subdued  snatches  of 
side-talk.  It  was  a  rare  event,  indeed,  when  Mrs. 
Bowles  had  company,  and  rarer  still  for  her  to  let 
any  one  but  herseK  set  a  stitch  in  her  quilts,  she 
being  "  so  bigotty  about  her  things,"  as  her  neigh- 
bors declared  privately.  Some  very  strong  motive 
must  have  compelled  her  to  offer  this  reluctant 
hospitality,  but  none  dared  question  her.    She  was 


2  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

one  of  those  women  that  command  deference,  —  a 
singular  combination,  neither  hate  nor  fear,  love 
nor  esteem,  rendered  by  a  weaker  nature  under  the 
compulsion  of  a  stronger  one. 

"  It 's  real  queer  for  Mrs.  Bowles  to  have  a 
quiltin',  hain't  it  ?  "  whispered  Mrs.  Rush  to  her 
neighbor  Mrs.  Stump,  made  bold  by  the  entire 
stretch  of  quilt  between  her  and  the  morose 
hostess. 

"  'T  is,  for  a  fact !  'spect  she  '11  pick  out  every 
stitch  when  we  're  all  gone !  "  said  the  other 
woman  spitefully,  knowing  too  well  her  own  fail- 
ings as  a  seamstress. 

"  Wonder  what  made  her  ?  " 

"  Dun-know.  My  man  ain't  bid  to  supper, 
neither.     Is  yours  ?  " 

"  No  ;  nary  man  is." 

"  Mebby  it 's  'cause  she  's  a  widow  woman," 
hazarded  Mrs.  Stump.  At  this  moment  the  glance 
of  the  hostess  fell  on  the  two  whisperers,  who  felt 
like  conspirators,  and  tried  to  divert  suspicion  by 
increased  assiduity  in  "  running  the  diamonds " 
into  which  the  quilt  was  laid  off. 

Mrs.  Rush  was  not  a  woman  easily  cowed,  and 
if  a  little  "flustered,"  as  she  would  have  said, 
rallied  quickly ;  being  by  nature  as  insensible  as  a 
rubber  ball,  —  the  harder  the  blow  the  greater  the 
rebound,  —  she  called  out  affably,  with  that  super- 
fluity of  voice  common  to  people  who  dwell  in  the 
country  and  talk  across  large  spaces : — 

"  Mrs.  Bowles,  is  this  the  '  Risin'  Sun  '  pattern, 


THE  QUILTING  AT  MRS.  BOWLES'S  3 

or  tlie  '  Old  Maid's  Puzzle '  ?  Me  an'  Mrs.  Wilson 
can't  make  out.  'Pears  like  I  never  could  tell 
them  patterns  apart !  " 

Whereupon  ensued  an  animated  explanation  and 
comparison  of  the  two,  either  sufficiently  hideous 
to  drive  one  mad ;  and  Mrs.  Bowles's  attention  was 
diverted. 

The  discussion  at  last  wore  itself  out,  when  a 
new  topic  was  started  by  some  one  saying  :  — 

"  Uncle  Billy  's  chillin'  agin.  Seems  like  he 
cain't  git  'em  broke  with  bervin  nor  nuthin' !  My 
man  see  him  a-sittin'  out  in  the  sun,  tilted  agin'  the 
house  in  his  chair,  just  a-shakin'  like  a  yaller  dog 
in  a  thunder  storm." 

Commiseration  was  expressed  by  all  for  this 
universal  "  uncle,"  who  could  claim  actual  kinship 
with  none  of  them.  They  gave  this  title  to  all  old 
men,  and  that  of  "  aunt "  to  all  old  women  after 
they  had  "  turned  "  sixty,  as  a  mark  of  esteem. 

This  subject  exhausted,  another  woman  added 
her  budget  of  news  :  — 

"  I  heerd  that  Mrs.  Whittaker  was  took  awful 
bad  agin  last  night.  She  's  been  a-lookin'  terrible. 
She  's  powerful  puny." 

"  Yes,"  chimed  in  her  opposite  neighbor,  "  Lu- 
cetty  's  had  to  set  up,  keepin'  bags  of  hot  salt  and 
hop  poultices  on  her  stummick,  for  three  nights 
runnin'." 

"  If  that  woman  did  n't  have  the  hypo  and 
would  hump  herself,  she'd  be  a  heap  better  off. 
As  to  looks,  she  ^s  like  a  singed  cat  —  '  looks  a 


4  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

heap  worse  than  she  feels,' "  observed  Mrs.  Bowles 
sternly. 

"  An'  Lucetty  would  n't  be  as  slim  as  a  bean- 
pole an'  as  slab-sided  as  a  scantlin',"  added  Mrs. 
Stump,  "  If  her  ma  would  stir  round  a  little  more." 

"  Poor  Lucetty !  't  seems  to  me  a  heart  of  stone 
would  pity  her,  with  all  she  's  got  on  her  back. 
A  sick  mammy,  and  a  daddy  that 's  lazier  than  a 
white  dog  !  "  said  Mrs.  Rush,  with  superficial  sym- 
pathy. Induced  by  a  daring  desire  to  oppose  Mrs. 
Bowles,  of  whom  the  whole  community  stood  in 
awe,  especially  the  women,  who  knew  she  consid- 
ered them  collectively  a  "  passel  of  fools." 

"  She  's  that  fond  of  readin'  and  study  in',  too," 
volunteered  Mrs.  Clark,  —  who  could  do  neither, 
owing  to  early  neglect,  yet  cherished  in  her  secret 
soul  a  pitiful  ambition  to  learn  when  she  had  time, 
—  "  that  she  sews  for  the  schoolma'am,  so  she  '11 
teach  her  nights.  I  heerd  she 's  a  studyin'  algib- 
bery,"  In  an  awed  voice,  "she  'lows  to  be  a 
teacher." 

"  It 's  a  heap  more  gumption  than  Zeb  's  got ! 
Klllin'  's  too  good  for  him  !  "  observed  Mrs.  Bowles 
viciously. 

To  this  there  was  a  general  assent,  and  a  minute 
dissection  of  the  characters  of  the  absent  Whit- 
takers  followed,  till  some  one  remarked,  "  and 
Zeb,  he 's  that  feered  of  the  draft,"  and  gave  a  new 
turn  to  the  conversation,  and  they  fell  to  talking 
of  the  proposed  conscription.  One  quiet  little 
woman,  who  lived  nearer  than  the  rest  to  RIdgely, 


THE  QUILTING  AT  MRS.  BOWLES'S  5 

the  post  village,  and  had  later  news,  startled  them 
into  vehement  discussion  by  saying :  — 

"  They  do  say  JefP  Riddle 's  took." 

"What's  he  been  doin' ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Rush, 
the  only  woman  who  had  perfect  control  of  her 
faculties  —  of  which  curiosity  was  the  strongest 
—  under  the  austere  eye  of  Mrs.  Bowles. 

"  They  do  say  he  'd  ought  to  have  went  back  to 
the  army  a  month  ago.  But  Harv  Wilson  he  per- 
suaded him  it  was  n't  no  use  to  go,  as  the  Rebs 
was  sure  to  whip  the  Yankees,  and  the  North 
was  n't  a-goin'  to  put  up  with  no  more  drafts, 
and  most  of  the  Black  Republicans'  time  was  up, 
and  they  was  n't  likely  to  enlist  again.  So  he  just 
'lowed  he  'd  stay,  for  he  thought  it  likely  Harv 
knowed  more  about  it  than  he  did." 

"  H-m-m,  arrested  for  desertin',  I  reckon,"  ob- 
served Mrs.  Bowles. 

"  Yes,"  eagerly  assented  the  speaker,  "  I  disre- 
membered  the  name  of  it.  But,  anyhow,  he  's  in 
jail  now  in  Crofton." 

"  He  's  likely  to  be  shot,  the  fool !  "  said  Mrs. 
Bowles  fiercely  ;  "  I  told  him  not  to  mind  Harv." 

In  that  community,  blood  never  became  so  di- 
luted by  marriage  that  kinship  ceased  ;  and  it  was 
suddenly  remembered  that  Jeff  was  the  son  of 
Mrs.  Bowles's  niece,  who  had  married  Harv  Wil- 
son's cousin,  Bill  Riddle,  and  the  conversation 
thereafter  trickled  into  an  uneasy  silence.  It  was 
not  a  pleasant  party,  for  all  present  felt  con- 
strained  and   anxious  in  the   presence    of    Mrs. 


6  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Bowles,  without  any  definite  reason.  One  or  two 
of  the  women  were  slirewd  enough  to  suspect  some 
stronger  motive  behind  the  invitation  than  mere 
friendliness  and  hospitality,  knowing  well  the  lack 
of  the  former  and  the  rarity  of  the  latter  on  the 
part  of  the  hostess.  But  a  quilting  was  a  quilting, 
and,  as  such,  too  precious  an  opportunity  for  a  little 
pleasure  to  be  lost ;  in  their  dull,  monotonous  lives 
any  change  was  welcome,  and  rare  enough  in  these 
war  times.  At  Mrs.  Bowles's  there  were  no  lively 
sallies,  no  rather  broad  jokes,  retailed  at  the  tops 
of  their  robust  voices,  to  be  greeted  with  bursts  of 
shrill  laughter,  as  were  common  elsewhere  on  such 
occasions.  They  chafed  inwardly  at  the  restraint 
too  fine  for  their  comprehension,  and  privately 
harbored  the  resentment  weak  natures  feel  at  the 
wordless  contempt  of  the  strong  and  arrogant, 
which  they  instinctively  recognized  Mrs.  Bowles 
to  be. 

It  was  a  relief  to  one  and  all  when  supper  was 
announced,  and  they  filed  out  through  the  door 
into  the  dazzlingly  clean  kitchen,  where  the  drop- 
leaf  table  was  set,  its  length  further  extended  by  a 
smaller  one  to  accommodate  them  all.  The  supper 
was  bountiful  and  excellent,  and  nearly  everything 
on  the  table  was  the  product  of  Mrs.  Bowles's 
farm,  which  she  managed  and  largely  worked  by 
herself.  The  coffee  was  parched  barley  with  a 
dash  of  genuine,  for  the  real  article  at  fifty  cents 
a  pound  was  not  to  be  thought  of;  the  jellies, 
preserves  (of  which  there  were  numerous  kinds), 


THE  QUILTING  AT  MRS.  BOWLES'S  7 

"  float "  cake;  and  rhubarb  pies  were  all  sweetened 
^tli  the  maple  sugar  made  in  the  camp  in  the 
early  spring.  The  meats  were  ham,  cured  by  her, 
and  chickens  of  her  own  rearing.  She  had  spun 
and  woven  the  table-cloth,  and  also  her  brown 
checked  linsey  gown,  and  the  gay  rag-carpet  on 
the  floor.  Mrs.  Bowles  was  indeed  a  capable 
woman,  one  of  the  kind  men  hate  and  women 
envy.  She  could  have  led  an  army,  like  Joan  of 
Arc  or  an  Amazon.  A  longing  for  heroic  action 
smouldered  in  her  soul,  a  passion  for  conflict,  that 
would  have  led  her  to  kill  an  enemy  ruthlessly. 
Failing  an  outlet  for  these  misplaced  emotions,  she 
was  a  woman  who  had  boundless  contempt  for  her 
own  sex,  and  was  a  hater  of  men  because  they 
failed  to  make  use  of  their  opportunities ;  her 
ideas  were  heroic,  and  the  men  about  her  were  not 
heroes.  Yet  her  opinions  were  matters  of  princi- 
ple and  conscience,  and  carried  her  to  extremes ; 
for  she  had  no  sophistry  in  her  nature,  and  could 
not  permit  herself  a  middle  path. 

The  guests  were  waited  on  by  Liddy  Ann  Col- 
lins, Mrs.  Bowles's  "  hired  girl,"  a  sort  of  second- 
ary hostess,  who  made  up  in  trifling  garrulousness 
for  the  taciturnity  of  her  mistress ;  in  truth,  she 
was  vastly  the  more  popular  of  the  two,  for  "  girls  " 
in  that  locality  stood  on  an  equal  footing  with  the 
families  which  they  served.  A  kind  of  pity  was 
felt  for  Liddy  Ann  by  the  neighbor  women ;  and 
when  one  of  them  ventured  to  express  it  openly,  she 
replied,  with  the  accidental  wisdom  of  a  fool :  — 


8  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  I  ain't  got  no  cause  to  complain.  She  pays  me 
my  dollar  a  week  reg'lar.  An'  her  hark 's  worse  'n 
her  bite.  She  ain't  like  the  balance  of  us  weemen, 
but  the  Lord  A'mighty  made  her,  I  reckon,  like 
he  did  the  rest  of  us.  If  she  's  more  stronger  'n 
we  are,  —  like  a  man,  —  't  ain't  her  fault,  as  I 
know  of ! " 

After  supper,  all  retired  to  the  "  settin'  room," 
also  connected  with  the  kitchen  by  a  door,  to  get 
their  wraps  from  the  bed,  piled  high  with  feathers. 
Mrs.  Bowles's  house  had  but  three  large  rooms,  and 
a  tiny  bedroom  off  the  kitchen,  devoted  to  Liddy 
Ann,  and  on  this  occasion  the  sitting-room  served 
as  a  dressing-room  for  her  guests.  The  company 
quietly  dispersed  down  the  long  lane  through  the 
sun  -  tinted  twilight  of  the  chill  April  evening. 
They  parted  with  loud  and  reiterated  good-bys  at 
the  big  gate  where  the  lane  entered  the  road ;  some 
climbed  the  rail  fence  into  a  field,  while  others  kept 
to  the  path  by  the  roadside. 

As  the  last  one  disappeared  down  the  dip  of  the 
hill,  Mrs.  Bowles,  who  was  looking  after  them 
from  her  doorway,  said  with  a  short,  contemptuous 
laugh :  — 

"  A  pack  of  fools !  Them  men  owe  me  some- 
thing for  this  day's  work !  My  quilt 's  nigh  about 
spoiled  !  I  '11  have  to  pick  out  every  stitch  of  it 
and  wash  it,  to  make  it  decent." 


CHAPTER  II 

AN   AWKWAED   SQUAD  ' 

While  Mrs.  Bowles's  guests  were  stitching  and 
gossiping,  the  men  were  very  differently  and,  as 
they  thought,  secretly  employed ;  for  the  quilting 
was  a  mere  pretext  to  rid  them  of  the  "  women 
folks,"  and  their  insatiable  curiosity  and  eternal 
questioning,  and  in  this  Mrs.  Bowles  was  their 
confederate. 

That  there  were  meetings  many  and  mysterious 
the  women  were  beginning  to  suspect,  forced  to 
misgiving  by  the  poor  excuses  the  men  —  hard 
pressed  through  lack  of  the  inventive  faculty  — 
gave  for  their  frequent  absences.  As  yet,  none  of 
them  had  been  bold  enough  or  shrewd  enough  to  fer- 
ret out  this  mystery.  At  about  the  hour  when  the 
quilting  party  were  discussing  the  Whittakers,  a 
farm  wagon  might  have  been  seen  making  its  way 
from  Crofton  —  the  seat  of  Middle  County — by 
an  unfrequented  road,  along  which  there  were  but 
two  houses  for  a  distance  of  several  miles.  The 
road  was  a  series  of  dips  up  and  down  all  the  way. 
At  one  moment  nothing  could  be  seen  but  the  un- 
dulating corn-fields,  ploughed  but  not  planted ;  for 
the  season  was  backward  even  for  the  last  of  April, 


10  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

and  no  corn  would  be  dropped  in  that  locality  till 
the  pawpaw  leaves  were  as  big  as  squirrels'  ears, 
a  rule  laid  down  by  the  pioneers  and  proved  by 
experience.  The  next  instant,  from  the  top  of  the 
rise  a  glimpse  might  be  caught  of  a  tiny  cabin  set 
in  an  enchanting  dale,  surrounded  by  young  green 
wheat ;  or  a  sparkle  of  sunlight  on  the  creek, 
whose  course  was  indicated  by  the  glaring  white 
trunks  of  leafless  "ghost  trees,"  as  the  Indians 
called  the  sycamore.  Lem  Beasly,  the  driver  of 
the  vehicle,  was  a  sun-tanned  farm-hand,  strong 
and  healthy,  dressed  in  rough,  faded  clothes  of 
home-made  butternut  jeans.  By  his  side  on  the 
high  spring  seat  of  the  wagon  sat  a  youth,  also 
strongly  built  and  of  medium  height.  He  lacked 
the  ruddy  hues  one  would  look  for,  with  his  bright 
blonde  hair,  lucent  blue  eyes,  and  sturdy  physique. 
Over  his  face  spread  a  pallor  and  wanness  inex- 
plicable, and  his  air  would  have  been  languid  but 
for  the  momentary  interest  that  roused  him.  The 
eager  glance  of  the  eye,  the  smile  of  recognition  as 
familiar  points  in  the  landscape  pleased  him,  testi- 
fied mutely  that,  for  some  reason,  it  was  all  dearer 
now  than  when  last  seen.  In  every  respect  he 
was  a  contrast  to  the  driver ;  but  perhaps  the  most 
marked  difference  lay  in  their  clothing,  for  the 
young  man  was  dressed  in  army  blue,  and  evi- 
dently took  no  small  pride  in  the  fact.  It  was 
Frank  Neal,  at  home  on  a  furlough,  after  having 
been  taken  prisoner  and  confined  at  Andersonville 
three  months.  He  and  Lem  seemed  to  have  been 
discussing  this,  for  he  said :  — 


AN  AWKWARD  SQUAD  11 

"  If  it  had  n't  been  that  some  men  from  a  New 
York  regiment  were  there,  too,  I  'd  been  rotting 
there  now." 

"Why,  how's  that?" 

"  Well,  for  some  reason  the  '  Johnnies '  always 
exchange  the  New  Yorkers  first.  All  of  us  Hoo- 
siers  know  that.  I  had  a  chum  in  this  New  York 
regiment,  but  the  poor  fellow  died  —  starved !  — 
didn't  stand  it  three  months.  A  rumor  went 
around  —  I  never  did  know  how  it  got  started  — 
that  there  would  be  an  exchange,  and  we  knew  the 
New  Yorkers  would  have  the  first  chance.  So  I 
just  changed  clothes  with  poor  Van  Voort,  —  he 
had  died  at  my  side  in  the  night,  —  and  I  was  all 
right.  When  they  called  out  his  name  I  answered, 
and  when  they  examined  me  I  was  from  the  — th 
New  York  and  not  from  the  — st  Indiana,  so  that 's 
how  I  am  here.  I  sent  his  things  to  his  folks,  and 
wrote  and  told  them  all  about  it.  Poor  Van !  he 
was  a  good  fellow,  —  as  brave  a  boy  as  ever  lived, 
and  he  never  whimpered,  but  he  'd  been  raised  in 
a  city  and  he  could  n't  stand  it." 

Tears  rose  to  Frank's  eyes,  and  for  an  instant 
he  fell  into  sad  musing ;  then,  throwing  off  the 
mood,  he  observed  brightly  :  — 

"  My  folks  don't  look  for  me  till  to-morrow. 
And  you  bet  I  was  glad  to  see  you  in  town,  Lem ! 
Saved  me  a  six-mile  tramp,  for  I  never  could  stand 
it  to  wait.  But  I  'm  hardly  strong  enough  yet  for 
that  long  a  walk." 

"  That 's  so,"  said  Lem,  with  a  sympathy  of  tone 
his  words  could  not  convey. 


12  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Where  are  you  living  now,  —  on  the  Culver 
place  yet  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Lem,  "  been  there  nigh  a  year." 

"  Left  Harv  Wilson,  did  you  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Harv  's  just  a  leetle  too  much  of  a  '  But- 
ternut '  for  me.  Whiles  I  'm  a  Democrat,  I  ain't 
no  '  Copperhead,'  and  that 's  what  he  is." 

"  Glad  to  hear  that,  Beasly !  If  there  were 
more  fellows  like  you,  the  governor  would  n't  be 
worried  by  the  stay-at-homes." 

As  Frank  spoke,  they  dipped  into  a  valley  which 
gave  them  glimpses  into  its  green  windings,  and 
his  sharp  eyes  saw  moving  objects  that  he  could 
not  make  out,  appearing  and  disappearing  below 
a  gentle  swell. 

"  Hello  !  What 's  that,  Lem  ?  "  pointing  in  the 
direction. 

"  Don't  you  bother  your  head  about  them,  young 
feller !  "  said  Lem  with  emphasis  ;  "  better  lot  Cop- 
perheads alone !  Don't  stir  'em  up.  They  're  apt 
to  bite,  an'  their  bite  's  pizen." 

"  Well,  who  are  they,  anyway  ?  " 

"  I  '11  tell  you,  but  never  tell  it  as  comin'  from 
me.     It 's  the  Knights  a-trainin'." 

"Knights  ?  what  knights  ?  " 

"  Ain't  you  heerd  about  'em  ?  '  The  Sons  of 
Liberty,'  or  '  The  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,' 
as  we  call  'em  here.  They  're  all  the  same.  'Spect 
that 's  the  Riffle  Township  Temple  a-trainin'." 

"You  don't  mean  to  say  they  're  in  this  township, 
a  township  that  was  first  to  fill  its  quota? " 


AN  AWKWARD  SQUAD  13 

"  They  just  are  !  But  fillin'  that  there  last  quoty 
took  nigh  about  all  the  Union  men  there  was  left 
out  of  this  county,  except  the  fellers,  like  your  pap, 
that 's  too  old  to  go,  and  War  Democrats,  and  a  lot 
of  them  went,  too." 

"  Who  's  at  the  head  of  this  business  ?  " 

"  Old  Harv  Wilson  's  County  Commander.  Now 
don't  you  tell  this ;  it 's  as  much  as  my  neck  's 
worth  !  But  he  's  been  in  and  around  Kidgely, 
an'  's  goin'  to  hold  a  meetin'  in  our  township  to 
form  a  branch  Temple  next  Friday  night  in  that 
there  little  empty  log-cabin  on  his  place.  They 
come  to  me,  an'  says  I,  '  No  siree ;  whiles  I  'm  a 
Democrat  I  ain't  no  Copperhead ! '  They  're  a-gittin' 
a  Temple  in  every  township  in  this  here  county !  " 

Both  men  looked  intently  eastward  at  the  mov- 
ing objects,  which  were  too  much  obscured  by  the 
nature  of  the  land,  and  too  far  off,  to  take  the  shape 
of  men. 

"  They  played  it  smart  on  their  weemen  !  OF 
Miz  Bowles  helped  'em.  She 's  one  of  'em,  as 
much  as  a  lady  can  be.  Got  all  the  weemen-folks 
to  her  house  to  a  quiltin'  so  's  to  give  the  men  a 
chance  to  drill.  Lord,  wouldn't  Miz  Rush  be  as 
mad  as  a  wet  hen  if  she  know'd  it !  She 's  as 
spunky  as  a  rat  when  her  dander  's  up !  "  and  Lem 
chuckled  with  enjoyment. 

"  You  're  right,  Lem.  Keep  out  of  it !  It 's  a 
dangerous  game." 

"  You  bet !  "  was  Lem's  laconic  reply,  which 
nevertheless  conveyed  his  opinion  of  the  danger  as 
well  as  many  words. 


14  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  I  believe  I  '11  take  a  look  at  them  and  see 
who  're  there."  Even  as  he  spoke,  Frank's  foot 
was  on  the  wheel  and  he  dropped  lightly  to  the 
ground.  Lem  looked  troubled.  "  Be  mighty  sly, 
and  don't  let  'em  ketch  a  squint  of  you ! "  he 
warned.     "  But  you  'd  better  not  go  at  all." 

"  But  I  will !  You  drive  on  and  wait  for  me 
at  the  creek.     I  '11  not  be  long." 

Frank  swiftly  and  warily  made  his  way  toward 
the  dip,  and,  when  he  reached  a  point  where  ob- 
servation was  possible,  threw  himself  flat  on  the 
ground.  It  was  a  strange  sight  for  that  retired 
spot.  Below  him  lay  a  tiny  vale,  on  which  was 
spread  a  thick  sward  of  blue  grass,  nibbled  short 
as  the  pile  of  velvet  by  the  sheep,  which  were  hud- 
dled afar  off,  watching  the  intruders  with  timid 
surprise.  Over  it  fell  the  brilliant  sunshine  of 
late  April,  un  tempered  by  shadows,  for  as  yet  the, 
pawpaws  and  little  elms  on  the  hills  shutting  it 
in  were  leafless.  A  swift,  strong  stream  of  April 
wind  blew  unceasingly,  and  brought  with  it  faint, 
sweet  scents  of  opening  buds,  robbed  from  trees 
far  out  of  sight,  and  the  resinous  odor  of  the  new 
greenery  of  the  j)ines  that  grew  a  mile  away  on 
the  bluffs  of  Honey  Creek.  It  bore  the  hum  of 
bees  reveling  in  the  bloom  of  the  wild  plum,  the 
contented  chirping  of  hedge  -  sparrows  building, 
and  the  few  rare  flutings  of  the  meadow-lark.  To 
men  intent  on  conspiracy  and  sedition,  these  appeals 
of  nature  for  peace  and  happiness  fell  as  on  the 
ears  of  the  deaf.     Even  Frank,  so  thankful  to  be 


AN  AWKWARD  SQUAD  15 

free  from  the  horrors  of  prison  to  watch  the  coming  , 
of  spring  in  the  open  country  that  he  loved,  gave 
these  things  no  heed.  He  was  intently  watching 
the  spectacle  below  him.  Twenty-five  or  thirty 
men  were  going  through  military  evolutions  with 
guns  roughly  cut  out  of  wood,  in  order  to  give  them 
skill  in  handling  arms,  when  they  should  have  ac- 
quired them.  These  they  managed  more  or  less 
clumsily,  but  it  was  evident  they  were  earnestly 
seeking  to  gain  dexterity.  Not  a  word  was  spoken 
except  by  the  drill-master,  whose  commands  were 
given  in  so  low  a  tone  that  Frank  could  not  catch 
them. 

"  Well,  I  'U  be  shot !  "  said  Frank  after  watching 
them  for  a  few  moments.  He  could  not  but  adaiire 
their  cunning  in  selecting  their  parade-ground,  for 
the  little  valley  was  so  retired  that  it  was  rarely 
traversed,  and  the  road  by  which  it  was  reached 
was  a  mere  lane  near  the  "  big  road."  Lem  had 
taken  this  short  cut  to  accommodate  a  farmer  liv- 
ing on  it,  fetching  home  his  plough,  which  had 
been  sent  to  town  for  repairs. 

Frank  went  back  as  secretly  as  he  had  come,  and 
joined  Lem  at  the  ford  as  he  had  agreed. 

"  Lem,"  he  said,  "  that  means  mischief  !  I  '11 
not  go  on  with  you.  Swear  to  me —  Hold  up 
your  hand !  "  Lem  did  so.  "  Swear  that  you  '11 
not  tell  what  you  saw,  and  that  I  came  home  to-day 
and  was  with  you !  " 

Lem  took  the  required  oath,  then  asked  anx- 
iously :  — 


16  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  What  you  goin'  to  do  ?  " 

"  That  I  can't  tell  you.  You  're  loyal,  are  n't 
you?" 

"Yes." 

"  Now  drive  on,  for  it  may  save  trouble  if  you 
don't  even  know  the  direction  I  take." 

Lem  drove,  splashing  through  the  creek,  up  the 
hill  and  out  of  sight,  while  Frank  watched  him, 
and,  when  he  could  no  longer  hear  the  clatter  of 
the  wagon,  faced  about  and  returned  over  the  road 
by  which  he  had  just  come  from  Crofton. 


CHAPTER  III 

"  COMPANIONS   OF   OWLS  " 

It  was  late  for  a  farm-liouse  to  show  the  glow  of 
a  candle,  for  the  working  day  was  long  in  that 
community :  they  arose  at  dawn,  and  were  in  bed 
before  the  afterglow  had  scarcely  faded.  Yet  a 
thin  thread  of  light  revealed  itself  from  a  cabin  on 
the  extreme  bounds  of  Harv  Wilson's  farm.  In 
spite  of  a  heavy  horse-blanket  hung  on  a  nail  on 
one  side  of  the  casement,  and  made  fast  by  a  jack- 
knife  thrust  into  the  frame  at  the  other,  a  betray- 
ing shaft  fell  across  the  dooryard.  Within  the 
cabin,  a  company  of  half  a  score  of  men  had  gath- 
ered at  this  unwonted  hour  near  midnight.  The 
cabin  had  but  one  room,  in  which  there  was  no 
furniture,  for  the  last  tenant  had  moved  out.  A 
rickety  bench,  a  goods-box,  and  sundry  billets  of 
firewood  furnished  the  seats.  On  the  rude  shelf 
above  the  fireplace,  in  which  were  the  cold  ashes  of 
the  last  fire,  were  two  candles  stuck  into  potatoes 
shaped  for  the  purpose. 

Harv  Wilson  himself  was  there,  and  seemed  to 
be  the  moving  spirit.  He  was  one  of  those  domi- 
nant men  found  in  every  community,  a  self-con- 
stituted leader,  the  "  big  man  "  of  the  neighbor- 


18  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

hood.  Unfortunately  for  his  followers,  he  was  an 
unrighteous  man,  and  his  influence  was  wholly- 
evil.  He  was  unprincipled  in  business  transac- 
tions, and  his  face  gave  condemning  testimony  to 
his  private  character.  The  swarthy  red  of  his 
skin  and  his  mottled  cheeks  told  of  intemperance 
and  sensuality  ;  his  bloodshot  eyes,  with  thick  lids 
half  closed,  were  crafty  and  cruel,  and  his  narrow 
forehead  betokened  scant  intellectuality  and  low 
cunning.  His  nose  was  bulbous  and  pitted,  after 
years  of  hard  drinking.  The  flabby  skin  hung 
down  along  his  throat  like  the  dewlap  of  a  bull, 
and  bristled  with  short  red  beard.  His  counte- 
nance proclaimed  him  a  knave  of  the  lowest  sort. 
Yet  he  possessed  a  rude,  virile  force  that  enabled 
him  to  govern  men.  His  very  figure,  with  its  mus- 
cular legs  and  brawny  torso,  testified  to  his  power. 
He  possessed  tireless  endurance,  great  courage, 
even  utter  fearlessness,  because  of  his  contempt  of 
law  and  order,  decency  and  probity.  He  feared 
neither  God  nor  man,  heaven  nor  hell,  as  he  often 
boasted. 

Harv  was  wide  awake  and  listening,  but  the 
other  men  were  blinking  sleepily,  worn  out  with  a 
hard  day's  work. 

"  "Well,  boys,"  he  said,  "  if  they  don't  come 
pretty  soon,  there  won't  be  any  '  Vestibule '  to- 
night. They  were  due  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  it 's 
nigh  on  to  midnight  now,"  and  he  closed  his  watch 
as  he  spoke. 

"  Maybe   they  're    lost,"     hazarded    one    man. 


"COMPANIONS  OF  OWLS"  19 

"  Both  of  them  fellers  thought  they  could  get  here 
by  directions,  but  that 's  not  so  easy." 

They  lapsed  into  silence  again,  for  farmers  de- 
prived of  their  natural  amount  of  sleep  are  not 
loquacious. 

Harv  Wilson's  "  place "  lay  in  Honey  Creek 
Township,  —  about  six  miles  southwest  of  the 
Bowles  farm,  which  was  situated  in  Ri£3e  Town- 
ship, —  in  one  of  the  beautiful,  picturesque  spots 
so  common  to  that  part  of  Indiana,  but  more  espe- 
cially found  along  the  sinuous  course  of  Honey 
Creek.  The  house  where  he  lived  was  secluded 
and  difficult  to  reach.  It  lay  on  a  by-road  that 
branched  off  the  turnpike  leading  to  Crof  ton.  The 
cabin  was  still  more  difficult  to  find.  It  stood  on 
the  top  of  a  bluff  overlooking  the  creek,  and  the 
only  means  of  egress  was  by  a  wagon  track  across 
the  fields  to  Harv's  lane  and  thence  to  the  road. 
This  isolation  did  not  matter  much  to  its  tenants, 
for  they  were  usually  too  poor  to  own  a  team.  Be- 
hind the  cabin,  a  narrow  path  led  down  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  ravine  and  followed  the  spring  branch 
to  the  creek.  This  gorge  opened  wide,  like  a  gap- 
ing mouth,  at  the  place  where  the  "  branch "  (as 
brooks  are  invariably  called  in  the  vernacular  of 
the  South  and  West)  emptied  into  the  creek,  and 
here  there  was  a  deep,  funnel-like  pool,  excavated 
in  storms  by  the  heavy  flow  of  water  from  the  ra- 
vine. Such  a  spot  was  usually  a  landing  place  for 
canoes,  where  one  rudely  hollowed  from  a  log,  and 
belonging  to  the  tenant  of  the  cabin,  generally  lay 


20  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

tied  up.  But  to-night  there  were  three  or  four, 
and  another  had  just  been  made  fast ;  while  filing 
up  the  steep  path  were  three  men,  cautiously  pick- 
ing their  way  as  if  unused  to  the  place.  Not  a 
word  was  uttered.  The  occasional  roll  of  a  pebble, 
and  the  heavy  breathing  of  a  portly  man,  blown  by 
the  unusual  exertion,  were  the  only  sounds  that 
broke  the  heavy  stillness.  Even  the  owls  and 
night-prowlers  were  silenced  by  this  unwonted  in- 
trusion. This  walk  was  not  without  an  object,  but 
led  them  straight  to  the  cabin  whence  the  flash  of 
light  came.  On  reaching  the  door,  the  foremost 
man  knocked  twice  softly  and  slowly,  then  three 
times  rapidly.  His  companions  were  some  dis- 
tance in  the  rear.  A  voice  within  asked  a  question 
that  was  audible  to  him  only,  to  which  he  replied, 
"  America,"  in  a  low  tone,  and  Harv  Wilson  opened 
the  door  to  them. 

After  exchanging  greetings,  the  new  -  comers 
were  civilly  offered  the  rude  seats,  then  an  uneasy 
silence  fell  upon  the  company.  All  were  known  to 
each  other,  as  they  lived  on  farms  near  by  or  in  the 
village  of  Ridgely.  Alec  Rush,  the  blacksmith  at 
the  cross-roads.  Dr.  Skagg  of  Ridgely,  and  Tom 
Peyton,  a  clerk  in  the  general  store  in  Ridgely, 
were  the  latest  comers. 

"  We  got  into  the  wrong  landin',''  said  Alec, 
"  it  was  so  dark.  These  two  fellers  aint  got  no 
notion  of  handlin'  a  canoe,  and  I  had  a  hefty  load 
a-polin'  down.  Three  's  a  tight  fit  for  my  dugout. 
Ain't  the  Commander  here  yet  ?  We  'lowed  we  'd 
be  the  last." 


"COMPANIONS  OF  OWLS"  21 

Harv  was  about  to  answer  him,  when  a  low, 
mournful  cry,  "  0-a-k-h-o-u-n,"  long  drawn  out, 
ending  in  a  wail,  sounded  startlingly  near.  To 
most  of  the  men  it  seemed  to  have  no  particular 
significance,  but  by  Harv  it  was  comprehended 
perfectly;  for  he  answered  by  going  to  the  door, 
raising  the  latch,  which  could  not  be  lifted  from 
the  outside,  as  the  leather  latch-string  had  been 
pulled  in  to  guard  against  intrusion.  He  answered 
the  cry  with  a  similar  one,  and  in  a  moment  three 
men  stood  at  the  door,  with  each  of  whom  he  car- 
ried on  a  strange  colloquy,  with  lengthy  pauses 
between  parts  of  words  and  sentences. 

"  What  —  a  star  "  — 

"  Arc — turns,"  replied  the  man  outside. 

"  What  —  of  —  the  —  night  ?  " 

«  Will  —  ye  —  inquire  ?  " 

"  Inquire  —  ye  ?  —  Come." 

"  O — rion  "  was  the  password  given  with  the 
"  o  "  long  drawn  out.  The  new-comers  were  then 
permitted  to  enter ;  for  they  were  the  men  ex- 
pected from  Crofton,  and  the  Grand  Temple  at 
Indianapolis,  to  institute  a  branch  Temple  in 
Honey  Creek  Township.  Upon  entering,  they  pro- 
ceeded, with  grotesque  gravity,  to  give  Harv  the 
grips  and  signs  of  the  degree  of  the  Knights  of 
the  Golden  Circle,  to  which  they  belonged,  while  the 
others  present  gaped  in  amazement.  One  of  these 
men  Harv  did  not  know,  and  he  looked  him  over 
suspiciously,  peeping  from  a  narrow  slit  between 
his  dropped  eyelids,  although  the  stranger  seemed 


22  imiGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

perfectly  familiar  with  all  the  forms.  The  object 
of  his  distrust  was  a  tall,  slight  young  man,  of  com- 
monplace appearance,  whose  dark  gray,  near-sighted 
eyes  were  shielded  by  spectacles.  His  light  red- 
dish hair  was  accompanied  by  a  fair,  delicate  skin 
thickly  sprinkled  with  freckles  ;  a  large,  pleasant 
mouth  filled  with  perfect  teeth  gave  him  an  amia- 
ble expression.  He  was  quick  and  nervous  in  all 
his  movements,  but  remarkably  slow  of  sjDeech. 

Stephen  Coultiss  —  the  Commander  of  the  Pa- 
rent Temple  of  Middle  County  at  Crof  ton  —  was 
heavy-set  and  low-browed.  Above  his  forehead 
rose  a  thick  shock  of  black  hair,  which  gave  one 
the  impression  of  its  being  stacked  like  straw.  His 
mouth  was  wide,  with  thin  shaven  lips  set  between 
the  heavy  jaws  of  a  remarkably  broad  face.  A 
short,  thick  beard  covered  the  throat  only,  leaving 
the  cheeks  and  chin  bare.  Altogether,  his  appear- 
ance was  neither  prepossessing  nor  intelligent. 
The  third  man  was  Dodd,  Grand  Commander  of 
Indiana.  He  carried  himself  alertly,  and  wore  the 
eager  air  of  an  enthusiast  whose  fatuity  carried 
him  above  all  minor  considerations  of  prudence 
and  caution.  He  was  fearless  because  foolhardy, 
and  had  not  prescience  to  foresee  results.  His 
schemes  were  of  amazing  magnitude  and  audacity, 
to  the  successful  issue  of  which  he  was  brought  to 
see  no  obstacle  until  the  gallows  waved  its  hideous 
arms  over  his  head.  He  could  lead  men  mysteri- 
ously ;  men  of  cool  heads,  calculating  minds,  com- 
mon sense,  even  intellect,  were  enthralled  by  the 


"COMPANIONS  OF  OWLS"  23 

spell  of  his  bombastic  sentimentality,  and  borne 
along  by  the  rush  of  his  enthusiasm  to  ruin ;  some 
to  prison,  some  to  banishment,  some  to  their 
graves. 

Harv  was  well  acquainted  with  these  two  men, 
one  of  whom  observed  his  manifest  mistrust  of 
their  companion. 

"  Oh,  he 's  all  right,"  said  Coultiss,  as  if  Harv 
had  uttered  his  doubts.  "  He 's  one  of  us,  straight 
from  ol'  Kaintuck." 

"  I  came  from  Louisville,  sir,  and  my  name  is 
Oliver  Tapp,"  said  the  suspect,  with  that  soft  slur- 
ring of  the  "  r's  "  peculiar  to  the  South. 

"  He 's  a-peddlin'  tinware,"  said  Coultiss,  with 
a  wink  and  a  grin  at  the  company  in  general. 

Harv  drew  Tapp  and  Coultiss  into  a  corner  and 
asked  in  a  low  tone  :  — 

"  You  come  from  Judge  BuUett  at  Louisville  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  later  from  Indianapolis  and 
Terre  Haute." 

"  These  fellows  ain't  even  had  the  '  Vestibule ' 
degree,  and  it  ain't  worth  while  to  let  'em  know 
too  much,"  said  Harv  with  a  backward  jerk  of  his 
thumb  at  the  group  by  the  fireplace.  "  I  'm  going 
to  sound  'em  though,  and  drop  'em  a  hint  that 
we  're  going  to  turn  this  from  a  political  to  a  mili- 
tary organization." 

"  Have  you  any  definite  plans  yet  ?  "  asked  Tapp 
of  the  Grand  Commander, -who  had  joined  them. 

"  Yes ;  but  I  want  to  talk  them  over  with  the 
Commanders  of  the  County  Temples  first  before 


24  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

we  give  them  to  the  members.  I  've  already  in- 
structed the  Commander  of  the  Innermost  Tem- 
ple"— 

"  Ah,"  said  Tapp  quickly,  "  that 's  Bledso  of 
Indianapolis ! " 

"  You  seem  posted,"  observed  Harv. 

"  I  should  think  so !  "  was  the  significant  reply. 
"  I  've  orders  from  BuUett,  who  has  just  received  a 
general  outline  of  the  work  of  the  reconstructed, 
order  from  Vallandighara." 

"  Suppose  we  give  these  fellows  the  '  Vestibule,' 
then  we  can  let  them  go  if  they  want  to,  and  we 
can  consult  together  afterward." 

To  this  they  consented,  and  the  work  proceeded. 
Owing  to  their  restricted  quarters  and  the  lateness 
of  the  hour,  some  of  the  forms  were  necessarily 
dispensed  with.  Harv  Wilson  and  Tapp  acted  as 
sponsors,  as  two  were  required.  Dodd  officiated 
as  Knight  Lecturer  by  right  of  office,  and  read 
from  a  ritual  of  his  own  composition,  in  unctuous 
tones. 

"Brothers,"  he  read  (meaning  the  sponsors), 
"  the  purpose  ye  have  declared  touching  this  stran- 
ger (the  candidate)  is  most  worthy ;  let  him  ad- 
vance to  our  altar  by  the  regular  steps ;  instruct 
him  in  our  chosen  solemn  attitude,  and  let  him  give 
testimony  of  that  which  is  in  him." 

To  this  the  sponsors  agreed  by  an  affirmative 
bend  of  the  head. 

"  Man,  thou  art  now  in  the  Vestibule,  and  if 
found  worthy  will  hence  be  ushered  into  the  con- 


"COMPANIONS  OF  OWLS"  25 

secrated  Temple  where  Truth  dwells  amid  her 
votaries/'  He  read  for  a  few  moments  in  this 
high-flown  strain,  and  finished  with  the  ques- 
tion :  — 

"  As  thou  wouldst  answer  to  a  good  conscience, 
is  thy  soul  pure  and  fitted  to  the  indwelling  of  the 
Truth?" 

The  candidate,  embarrassed  by  the  grandilo- 
quence of  the  ritual,  did  not  know  what  he  was 
expected  to  answer,  till  he  caught  an  affirmative 
nod  from  Tapp  and  faltered  out  a  throaty  "  Yes." 

The  men  very  naturally  labored  under  the  im- 
pression that  they  were  at  "  meetin',"  begotten  of 
the  liberal  use  of  "  thee  "  and  "  thou,"  which  they 
never  heard  anywhere  else,  and  their  faces  ex- 
pressed seriousness  to  the  verge  of  sadness.  When 
possible,  the  candidates  had  been  "lumped"  to 
shorten  the  ceremony,  and,  as  it  was  now  quite 
midnight,  an  unheard-of  hour  for  them  to  be  out 
of  bed,  the  Grand  Commander  hurried  through 
the  Declaration  of  Principles,  which  further  mys- 
tified the  new  members,  and  caused  one,  at  least, 
to  change  the  opinion  he  had  hitherto  held  of  the 
order.  Then  Coultiss  stumblingly  read  the  penalty 
for  disclosure,  which  was  to  the  effect  that,  if  a 
member  divulged  the  secrets  of  the  order,  his  body 
would  be  quartered,  and  one  quarter  would  be 
placed  at  the  north  gate,  one  at  the  south  gate, 
one  at  the  east  gate,  and  one  at  the  west  gate  of 
this  mythical  Temple.  In  plain  language,  they 
were  warned  of  assassination  for  treachery.     They 


26  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

were  then  taught  the  grips  and  signs,  and  rehearsed 
the  colloquy  of  the  Vestibule  degree. 

Meantime  Dodd,  the  Knight  Lecturer,  forget- 
ting the  time  and  place,  spoke  with  all  the  fervor 
of  an  orator  before  a  vast  audience.  Extravagant 
enthusiasm  for  the  cause  he  championed  emanated 
from  him  and  roused  his  hearers,  as  certain  odors 
will  rouse  some  animals. 

The  roll  of  his  restless  eye,  the  ceaseless  play  of 
expression  that  flashed  like  sheet-lightning  and 
scarcely  faded  ere  it  reappeared,  the  frequency 
and  rapidity  of  gesture,  proclaimed  him  a  reckless 
zealot.  What  wonder  that  these  dull,  bucolic 
minds  were  enkindled !  Carried  away  by  Dodd's 
irresistible  energy,  they  bound  themselves  to  what 
they  scarcely  knew.  They  were  not  collected 
enough  to  realize  the  full  purport  of  the  oaths 
they  took.  In  truth,  the  lowest  or  Vestibule  de- 
gree did  not  enlighten  them  much  as  to  the  pur- 
poses of  the  three  higher,  into  which  they  were  to 
be  inducted,  should  they  prove  to  be  of  the  right 
kind  of  material. 

It  required  some  time  to  go  through  with  this 
ceremony,  abridged  as  it  was,  and  it  left  the  can- 
didates, simple  farmers  with  the  exception  of  the 
clerk,  bewildered  and  apprehensive.  Most  of  them 
slunk  away  home,  —  feeling  like  black  conspirators, 
dreading  to  meet  their  wives,  who  would  scold  and 
question,  —  leaving  the  others  and  Harv  in  consul- 
tation with  the  three  strangers. 


CHAPTER  IV 

MORE  LIGHT 

No  sooner  had  these  men  withdrawn  than  those 
remaining — among  whom  were  Zeb  Whittaker  and 
Alec  Rush  the  blacksmith  —  drew  together  around 
a  table  improvised  from  a  barrel-head,  and  Coultiss 
opened  a  small  valise  he  had  brought  with  him. 

"  Are  all  here  faithful  ?  And  do  you  solemnly 
swear  to  reveal  nothing  that  now  transpires  ? " 
asked  Dodd  in  a  tremulous  voice,  so  wrought  upon 
by  the  excitement  of  the  occasion  as  to  be  almost 
hysteric. 

Each  in  his  own  way  gave  promise  of  secrecy, 
and  Coultiss  prepared  to  lay  the  contents  of  the 
valise  before  them.  Tapp  obligingly  took  down 
from  the  shelf  one  of  the  improvised  candlesticks 
to  further  the  examination.  Within  the  valise, 
neatly  packed,  were  many  small  vials  and  several 
little  clocks. 

"  A  clock-peddler,  by  golly ! "  observed  Rush 
with  a  chuckle.     "  Lots  of  peddlers  to-night !  " 

"  These  are  all  inventions  of  one  of  our  order  to 
help  the  cause ;  "  explained  Coultiss,  "  these  little 
vials  hold  Greek  fire,  and  when  they  are  thrown 
again'  a  house  or  barn  they  burn  it !     Nothing  '11 


28  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

put  it  out !  We  've  already  made  good  use  of 
them  In  Kentucky." 

"What  is  this?"  asked  Harv  Wilson,  touching 
a  metal  ball  thickly  set  with  nipples  for  caps. 

"  That 's  a  hand-grenade.  The  two  halves  un- 
screw, and  in  the  centre  is  a  vial  of  an  explosive 
that  is  sure  to  go  off  whenever  it  is  thrown  against 
anything.  One  of  these  caps  will  certainly  explode 
it,  there  are  so  many  of  them." 

"  W'y,  what  have  we  got  to  do  with  them 
things  ?  "  bluntly  asked  the  blacksmith. 

"  Use  'em  when  the  time  comes  !  This  war  's 
got  to  stop !  The  usurpation  of  Abe  Lincoln's 
government 's  got  to  stop  !  It 's  tyranny !  We  '11 
not  stand  the  draft !  We  '11  resist,  and  these  will 
help  us  !  "  answered  Coultiss  violently. 

At  this  outburst  the  new  recruits  looked  at  each 
other  in  alarm,  for  they  had  altogether  misappre- 
hended the  intent  of  the  order ;  if  they  had  formed 
any  opinion  of  it  at  all,  it  was  as  a  sort  of  safety 
valve  for  letting  off  surplus  dissatisfaction  in  idle 
demonstrations  or  threats ;  that  it  could  lead  to 
deeds  of  arson  and  murder  they  had  never  dreamed. 
Jim  Swazey,  the  smith's  new  hand,  took  it  all 
coolly,  —  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  one  would  have 
thought  he  was  thoroughly  posted.  Zeb  Whittaker 
had  not  energy  enough  to  betray  his  feeling,  if  he 
had  any.  But  Alec  Rush  looked  very  serious,  and 
felt  that  Harv  Wilson  had  trapped  them  as  neatly 
as  he  himself  did  muskrats  in  Honey  Creek. 

"These,"  said  Coultiss,  taking  up  one  of  the 


MORE  LIGHT  29 

clocks,  —  "I  reckon  you  wonder  what  they  're  for. 
They  '11  set  off  the  fuse  to  a  mine  that  '11  blow 
up  state-houses  and  forts  and  arsenals  !  They  're 
mighty  good  medicine  for  '  Lincoln  dogs  ' !  "  and 
he  smiled  wolfishly.  "  Some  of  these  could  be  put 
to  a  good  use  right  here  in  this  county,  over  in 
Riffle  Township.  The  Grand  Council 's  heard  of 
Abner  Neal's  sayings  and  doings,  and  they  've 
ordered  a  dose  out  of  one  of  these  little  bottles  for 
him ! " 

Although  Harv  Wilson  hated  Abner  Neal  as 
the  most  zealous  and  outspoken  Union  man  in  the 
adjoining  township,  a  man  his  opposite  in  every 
respect,  yet  even  he  did  not  like  the  idea  conveyed 
by  Coultiss's  speech. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  kill  him,  do  you  ? "  Harv 
asked  gruffly. 

"  W-e-1-1,  no,  —  only  give  him  a  little  hint  to 
keep  his  mouth  shut !  " 

"  How  will  you  do  it  ?  "  asked  Tapp  interestedly. 

"  Well,  sir,  some  man  here  's  got  that  to  do ! 
You  're  bound  by  your  oaths  to  help  the  cause  in 
every  way  in  your  power,  and  the  Council  decides 
how  that  is  to  be  done.  We  think  a  little  hint 
like  settin'  fire  to  his  barn  '11  do  it,  and  this  is  the 
stuff  for  that  job  !  "  said  Coultiss,  holding  up  one 
of  the  vials. 

He  and  Dodd  observed  with  annoyance  the  evi- 
dent dislike  of  the  project  shown  clearly  on  the 
troubled  faces  about  him. 

"  You  know  the  penalty !  "  he  said  menacingly. 


30  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  And  there  's  another  job  set  for  Middle  County 
Temple ;  that 's  to  raid  the  jail  and  let  out  the 
bounty- jumpers  and  deserters.  You  're  bound  to 
help  and  protect  them  whenever  and  wherever  you 
can,  and  to  resist  the  draft.  These  are  orders 
from  headquarters." 

"There  ain't  any  bounty -jumpers  in  jail  now, 
and  only  one  deserter,  and  he  ain't  worth  the  stuff 
in  that  bottle  !  "  observed  Harv,  who  had  been  the 
means  of  getting  him  there. 

"  That  don't  matter.  It 's  the  principle,"  said 
Dodd. 

"  As  for  the  other  fellows,"  observed  Jim  Swazey, 
"  they  're  well  took  care  of  outside  of  jail !  " 

Coultiss  gave  him  a  sharp  look,  which  he  re- 
turned in  kind,  then  said  :  "  We  might  as  well  set- 
tle Abner  Neal's  business  now.  We  '11  draw  lots. 
Now 's  the  time  to  show  your  grit !  " 

"  I  did  n't  join  the  Knights  to  burn  my  neigh- 
bors' barns,"  said  Alec  sturdily,  "  an'  I  won't 
draw  no  lots,  neither !  " 

"  Remember  the  penalty !  "  said  Dodd  solemnly. 

*'  Penalty  be  damned  !     I  ain't  no  firebug  !  " 

"  You  '11  not  turn  traitor  to  the  cause  ?  "  asked 
Harv,  who  knew  his  man  and  the  uselessness  of 
urging  ;  for,  like  most  good-natured  persons.  Alec 
was  incredibly  stubborn  when  once  his  mind  was 
made  up. 

"  No.  I  '11  respect  my  oath  as  far  as  tellin'  goes. 
But  I  '11  see  the  whole  order  in  the  pit  before  I  '11 
do  such  dirty  tricks  as  them !    You  may  just  count 


MORE  LIGHT  31 

me  out  of  the  whole  sneakin'  business ! "  And  be- 
fore they  could  stop  him  Alec  left  the  cabin. 

"  D'  you  think  he  's  safe  ?  "  asked  Dodd  anx- 
iously. 

"  Oh,  he  '11  be  mum  if  he  says  he  will.  But 
Alec  's  set.  He  won't  do  nothin'  if  he  says  he 
won't,  though  he  's  mighty  easy-goin'  generally," 
said  Swazey. 

"  Mr.  AYilson,  will  you  proceed  to  prepare  the 
lots  ?  "  asked  Dodd. 

Harv  retired  to  the  corner  with  Coultiss,  where 
they  whispered  together  and  soon  returned  with 
the  strips  of  paper,  which  they  put  in  a  hat  and 
Harv  passed  to  the  half  dozen  men  who  remained. 
Each  put  in  his  hand,  and  a  long  breath  of  relief 
testified  to  the  blank  he  drew.  The  dullard  Zeb 
was  reached  last,  and  there  was  left  in  the  hat  but 
one  lot,  which,  when  he  turned  it  over,  showed  a 
rude  sketch  of  the  skull  and  crossbones. 


CHAPTER  V 

AT   "meeting" 

At  the  forks  of  the  road  which  led  east  to  Crof- 
ton,  and  south  to  the  village  of  Ridgely,  stood  a 
weather-beaten  church,  known  locally  as  "  Liberty 
Meetin'  House."  It  was  not  so  called  from  any 
political  bias,  but  from  the  fact  of  its  being  free  to 
itinerant  preachers  of  any  denomination  who  chose 
to  stick  up  a  notice  at  the  village  post-office,  or 
Alec  Rush's  smithy,  announcing  preaching  therein. 
It  had  no  regular  pastor,  and  any  chance  preacher 
that  held  "  meetin' "  had  cause  to  be  gratified  at 
the  size  of  his  congregation,  though  possibly  not  at 
Its  motive  for  coming,  which,  happily,  he  was  not 
wise  enough  to  discern. 

•The  first  Sunday  in  May  was  a  bright  day  with 
a  chill  in  the  air.  The  hitching-racks  around  the 
little  church  were  crowded  with  horses.  Within, 
the  benches  were  filled  with  their  owners  ;  groups 
in  the  yard  were  "  passing  the  time  of  day,"  while 
from  every  direction  laggards  were  still  coming 
afoot.  The  church  could  not  hold  them  all ;  and 
men  who  were  unable  to  find  places  without  going 
to  the  "  Amen  Corner,"  yet  felt  piously  inclined, 
loitered  near  the  windows  to  catch  the  "  drippings 


AT  "MEETING"  33 

of  the  gospel ; "  while  those  not  so  disposed  seated 
themselves  on  the  rail  fence  in  the  sun,  and  quietly 
exchanged  opinions  as  to  the  prospects  of  wheat, 
or  corn  planting,  the  war,  or  even  the  draft,  which 
was  imminent,  and  opposed  in  Middle  County 
with  bitter  rancor. 

The  people  thereabout  were  not  given  to  the 
study  of  "  doctrine,"  for  their  religious  training 
had  been  too  discursive ;  one  Sunday  they  would 
listen  to  a  Primitive  Baptist,  and  on  others  to  a 
Missionary  Baptist,  a  New  Light  or  Universalist, 
a  Presbyterian,  Old  or  New  School,  and  occa- 
sionally to  a  Methodist,  until  their  minds  were 
in  hopeless  confusion  as  to  future  rewards  and 
punishments  and  methods  of  baptism.  This  Sun- 
day, brother  Jocktan  Teeter,  of  the  Old  School 
Presbyterians,  was  to  preach.  The  proceedings 
at  the  opening  of  the  services  were  not  formal. 
When  a  sufficiently  large  company  had  gathered, 
one  of  the  church  officers  came  to  the  door  and 
called  out  in  a  big,  cheerful  voice,  "  Meetin  's  about 
to  begin.     Come  in,  folkses !  " 

In  they  thronged,  filling  the  seats  to  overflowing, 
men  on  one  side  of  the  house,  women  on  the  other. 
Some  brought  in  chairs  from  their  wagons,  and  sat 
in  the  rear  of  the  church,  tilted  comfortably  against 
the  wall. 

The  old  custom  of  lining  out  the  hymn  was  still 
in  usage  there,  and  Zeb  Whittaker  always  "led 
the  tune."  He  took  no  other  part  in  the  meeting 
and  made  no  pretense  to  any  religious  belief,  but 


34  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

dozed  peacefully  through  the  sermon,  starting  vis- 
ibly when  disturbed  by  the  force  and  fervor  of  the 
preacher's  voice.  But  he  loved  to  sing,  which  he 
did  in  a  loud  thin  voice  with  considerably  more 
confidence  than  was  warranted,  for  it  had  a  habit 
of  breaking  on  the  high  notes,  at  which  he  was  not 
in  the  least  discomposed,  but  there  was  usually 
some  snickering  on  the  part  of  the  youngsters  in 
the  congregation.  If  his  daughter  Lucetta  hap- 
pened to  be  present,  the  accident  was  not  noticeable, 
for  she  would  bravely  carry  the  tune  to  a  finish. 

She  was  a  natural  musician,  and  it  was  rumored 
about  the  neighborhood  that  she  aspired  to  learn 
to  play  on  the  cabinet  organ,  and  that  Miss  Ab- 
bot would  teach  her  the  use  of  that  instrument,  as 
well  as  "  algibbery."  The  purchase  of  an  organ 
for  Liberty  Church  had  even  been  broached.  Se- 
vere were  the  strictures  of  the  Baptists  and  Pres- 
byterians of  the  "  Old  School "  when  this  proposi- 
tion was  timidly  made,  for  they  firmly  believed  and 
forcibly  proclaimed  that  nothing  but  what  had 
breath  should  praise  the  Lord.  Whereupon  Alec 
Rush,  who  belonged  to  the  other  faction,  "  'lowed 
he  'd  have  to  send  'em  his  belisses." 

With  cheerful  if  rather  dull  countenances,  un- 
musical voices,  and  curious  unfitness  on  such  a 
lovely  day,  they  were  singing  heartily  "  I  would 
not  live  always"  to  the  old  tune  of  "Frederick." 
Zeb's  voice,  as  usual,  had  shattered  on  the  high 
note,  and  Lucetta  had  continued  to  the  end  of  the 
phrase,  like  a  soaring  lark,  when  half  the  congrega- 


AT  "MEETING"  35 

tion  turned  their  heads,  as  if  on  a  pivot,  to  the  door 
on  the  men's  side,  at  the  entrance  of  a  new-comer. 
Head-turning  is  contagious  in  a  country  assembly 
and  involves  the  whole  of  it.  The  cause  of  the 
disturbance  was  Frank  Neal,  who  had  reached 
home  the  Thursday  before.  With  innocent  vanity 
and  boyish  audacity  he  came  late,  glorying  in  his 
uniform,  and  rather  maliciously  flaunting  it  in  the 
faces  of  those  whom  he  knew  hated  it.  He  wore- 
a  bright  new  one,  and  its  yellow  cavalry  trimmings 
were  in  gorgeous  contrast  to  the  rusty  blacks,  but- 
ternut browns,  and  dull  indigos  which  predomi- 
nated in  the  raiment  of  the  other  men.  He  even 
wore  spurs,  and  their  jingling  could  be  plainly 
heard  during  the  "  lining  out "  as  he  marched 
proudly  down  the  aisle.  He  would  have  liked  to 
wear  full  accoutrement,  but  an  innate  sense  of  pro- 
priety restrained  him. 

There  was  much  curiosity  and  surprise  expressed 
in  the  faces  of  those  who  watched  his  theatrical 
entry,  for  it  was  not  generally  known  that  Frank 
had  been  released  from  prison  and  had  got  home. 
For  some  private  reason,  he  had  kept  it  "  shady," 
as  he  would  have  said.  He  walked  forward  till 
he  found  a  vacant  place  behind  Zeb  Whittaker 
and  in  line  with  Lucetta,  close  under  the  pulpit. 
At  the  end  of  the  preliminaries,  brother  Jocktan 
Teeter  rose  in  the  pulpit  to  preach.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  prejudices,  no  education,  a  wonderful 
vocabulary  of  lengthy  words,  which  he  used  from  a 
fancy  for  their  sonorous  sound,  though  he  was  igno- 


36  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

rant  of  their  meaning.  His  sermon  was  a  tirade 
of  abuse  against  the  existing  government,  inter- 
larded with  denunciatory  texts  which  suited  his 
purpose.  The  boy  endured  it  passively  for  an 
hour,  but  the  flush  on  his  cheeks  and  nervous 
twisting  of  his  body  betokened  a  struggle  to  keep 
silent.  On  the  bench  in  front  of  him  sat  Jim 
Swazey,  the  new  hand  at  the  blacksmith's,  a  stran- 
ger to  Frank;  and  at  the  close  of  the  discourse, 
which  grew  more  and  more  vindictive  as  it  neared 
the  end,  he  turned  with  a  contemptuous  grin  and 
stared  full  into  Frank's  face.  Jim  displayed  on 
the  bosom  of  his  blue  hickory  shirt  a  device  that 
was  very  popular.  He  gloried  in  the  fact  that  he 
had  once  been  arrested  and  taken  to  Indianapolis 
for  wearing  the  emblem,  and  that  it  had  been 
decided  on  the  trial  "  that  a  man  had  a  right  to 
wear  what  he  pleased,  as  it  could  not  be  construed 
into  an  '  overt  act '  to  wear  a  cross  section  of  a 
butternut."  He  had  flaunted  it  with  impunity  ever 
since,  and  his  example  was  servilely  followed  by 
the  youths  thereabout. 

Frank's  quick  eye  saw  it.  Ali'eady  enraged  by 
the  covert  insults  of  the  preacher,  and  the  taunt 
conveyed  in  Jim's  grin,  this  open  display  of  the 
sign  of  treason  was  too  much.  He  dived  into  his 
pocket,  drew  out  his  knife,  opened  it,  perfectly  be- 
side himself  with  fury,  reached  over  and  cut  the  pin 
off  of  Jim's  shirt  front,  threw  it  on  the  floor,  and 
crushed  it  under  his  heel.  The  people  immediately 
around  them  who  saw  the  act  were  paralyzed  by 


AT  "MEETING"  37 

fright.  Jim's  reputation  for  violence  was  estab- 
lished, and  they  looked  for  murder. 

"  You  may  be  a  '  butternut '  inside,  but  I  '11  be 
hanged  if  you  shall  carry  the  sign  of  it  outside 
while  I  'm  around !  "  Frank  hissed  in  a  whisper  in 
Swazey's  ear. 

Jim  was  not  a  coward,  but  he  was  crafty,  and 
did  not  resent  Frank's  violent  act  at  the  time,  but 
"  laid  it  up  for  him  then  and  there."  He  knew 
these  people  of  Riffle  Township  well,  and  realized 
that,  if  he  turned  on  his  adversary,  a  curious  clan- 
nishness  would  lead  them  to  espouse  Frank's  cause 
against  him,  notwithstanding  they  differed  politi- 
cally. Frank  was  a  son  of  the  soil ;  he  was  an  out- 
sider ;  in  this  case  discretion  was  the  better  part  of 
valor.  It  did  not  suit  his  purpose  to  retaliate 
there,  but  his  revenge  waited.  Brother  Teeter, 
observing  signs  of  a  disturbance  and  fearing  an 
outbreak,  hastily  brought  the  services  to  a  close 
and  dismissed  the  congregation. 

Frank  stopped  to  speak  to  but  few  of  his  old 
acquaintances,  not  many  of  whom  were  sympathiz- 
ers with  the  Union  cause,  but  among  those  with 
whom  he  exchanged  a  hand-clasp  were  Zeb  Whit- 
taker  and  his  daughter  Lucetta. 

From  that  day  he  was  a  marked  man  with  the 
Ejiights,  and  the  rival  and  enemy  of  Swazey. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  TIN-PEDDLER 

"  La,  somebody 's  openin'  the  big  gate,  Miz 
Bowles !  "  exclaimed  Liddy  Ann  Collins,  as  she 
stood  in  the  door,  peering  out  from  under  her  hand 
down  the  long  lane  to  the  "  big  gate,"  the  inlet  to 
the  farm. 

"  An'  there 's  a  kivered  wagon,  an'  a  white  horse 
with  a  rope  halter.  It 's  a  tin-peddler !  "  she  ex- 
plained, after  examining  the  entire  turnout  at  long 
range  with  that  remarkably  acute  vision  of  the 
country-bred  person  accustomed  to  long  distances. 

Mrs.  Bowles  gave  no  heed  to  Liddy  Ann,  but 
went  on  with  her  work.  This  contemptuous  dis- 
regard would  have  dampened  the  ardor  of  most 
people,  but  not  that  of  Liddy  Ann  Collins.  With- 
drawing her  devouring  gaze  from  the  peddler,  she 
turned  fully  to  Mrs.  Bowles. 

"  We  need  a  new  b'iler,  and  a  skimmer,  and 
some  pie-pans,"  she  volubly  enumerated ;  "  them  's 
burned  black." 

Mrs.  Bowles,  sternly  reticent,  still  made  no  an- 
swer to  her  handmaiden,  but,  as  the  clatter  of 
tinware  became  audible,  she  arose  from  her  wheel, 
where  she  was  engaged  in  spinning  fleecy  rolls  of 


THE  TIN-PEDDLER  39 

wool  into  yarn,  and  looked  over  Liddy  Ann's  shoul- 
der at  the  peddler,  who  was  now  well  up  the  lane. 
At  the  sight  of  thp:  man's  face  her  casual  gaze  be- 
came one  of  sharp  inspection,  and  after  a  moment 
she  said :  — 

"  Liddy  Ann,  go  to  the  smoke-house  and  fetch 
them  three  bags  of  rags.  The  two  crocks  of  taUow 
and  the  big  mould  of  beeswax  are  on  the  swingin' 
shelf  down  cellar ;  fetch  them  too.  They  '11  nigh 
about  pay  for  the  things  we  need.  And  I  '11  dicker 
with  him." 

Liddy  Ann  departed  reluctantly  as  the  peddler 
drew  up  at  the  yard  gate,  and,  throwing  the  lines 
down  on  the  back  of  his  bony  horse,  he  dismounted 
from  the  high  seat  and  walked  with  a  brisk  step 
and  assured  air  up  to  Mrs.  Bowles.  He  asked  in 
a  quick,  cheerful  voice :  — 

"  Can  I  make  a  trade  with  you  in  the  tinware 
line  to-day,  ma'am  ?  " 

"Depends  on  what  you  fetch,"  she  answered 
briefly. 

He  looked  around  swiftly,  and,  while  he  casually 
pulled  the  lobe  of  his  left  ear,  said  with  pleasing 
distinctness :  — 

"  I  've  got  lots  of  useful  things,  and  knickknacks 
to  please  the  ladies  ;  "  then,  significantly,  in  a  lower 
tone,  that  the  weasel-eared  Liddy  might  not  hear, 
*'  and  some  for  the  men." 

At  this  instant  Liddy  Ann  appeared,  staggering 
under  the  weight  of  the  rag-bags. 

"There  must  be  nigh  about  fifty  pound  ! 
They  're  awful  hefty." 


40  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

The  peddler  took  them  from  her,  and  she  disap- 
peared hurriedly  into  the  cellar  by  an  outside  door 
that  opened  with  two  leaves,  and  was  soon  back 
again  with  her  "  plunder,"  as  she  called  it.  They 
all  walked  to  the  wagon  standing  in  the  lane.  The 
man  unbuttoned  the  door  on  the  side  of  the  wagon, 
displayed  a  lot  of  cheap  tinware,  and  glibly  com- 
mended it  to  Liddy  Ann,  the  saturnine  mistress 
standing  silently  by.  She  made  a  selection  of 
the  articles  she  wanted,  the  peddler  meanwhile 
jocularly  praising  her  judgment  and  appearance, 
with  the  freedom  of  his  kind,  while  she  simpered 
with  delight.  The  trade  over,  he  turned  to  Mrs. 
Bowles. 

"  Have  n't  any  use  for  this  kind  of  an  article, 
have  you  ?  sell  it  to  you  cheap.  It 's  a  fine  bread- 
box  ;  keeps  bread  from  drying  a  long  time,  and 
flies  and  ants  out  of  it.     Fine  thing,  /  tell  you !  " 

Mrs.  Bowles  looked  at  it  dubiously  and  asked :  — 

"  How  much  does  it  cost  ?  " 

He  named  the  price. 

"  Cash  or  trade  ?  "  she  asked  shortly. 

"  Oh,  cash  for  this !  We  can't  make  enough  off 
of  rags  to  afford  to  trade  for  such  costly  goods  as 
this  !  Comes  high,  you  know,  it 's  so  useful,"  and 
he  laughed  knowingly  and  tapped  the  box.  It 
did  not  emit  the  dull  rumble  of  an  empty  box,  but 
gave  out  a  thick,  muffled  sound. 

The  woman  frowned,  but  made  no  reply. 

"  And  here,  ma'am,  's  a  spice  -  box  that  goes 
along  with  it.     Holds  all  kinds  of  precious  stuff 


THE  TIN-PEDDLER  41 

in  that  line.  Just  the  thing  for  the  kitchen  !  " 
He  took  up,  and  extended  toward  her  on  the  palm 
of  his  hand,  —  a  very  delicate,  slender-fingered 
hand  for  one  of  his  calling,  —  a  large  spice-box 
that  would  hold  perhaps  a  half  gallon  of  spice. 

"  Guess  I  '11  take  'em  both,"  said  Mrs.  Bowles, 
after  pondering  a  moment.  "  Liddy  Ann,  go  look 
in  the  cracked  chiny  sugar-bowl,  the  blue  one  that 
was  Granny's,  —  on  the  top  shelf  of  the  pantry,  — 
and  fetch  me  some  change,"  she  said  to  that  dam- 
sel, who  was  much  taken  with  the  gallantries  of 
the  peddler  and  was  loth  to  leave.  When  Liddy 
Ann  disappeared  loiteringiy  on  her  errand,  the 
peddler  grinned  impudently  and  said  knowingly :  — 

"  I  thought  you  'd  take  'em.  Come  in  mighty 
handy  by  and  by ! "  There  was  more  in  this 
speech  than  the  mere  words  conveyed,  for  Mrs. 
Bowles  said,  almost  fiercely :  — 

"  I  don't  need  anybody  to  help  me  to  make  up 
my  mind,  young  man,  and  I  stick  to  it  after  it  is 
made !  " 

"  Oh,  nobody  doubts  that,  ma'am.  The  loyalty 
of  Mrs.  Bowles  to  anything  she  puts  her  mind  to 
is  not  questioned  by  any  of  us." 

She  paid  no  attention  to  his  flattery,  nor  to  the 
emphasis  of  the  last  sentence,  but  commanded 
sharply :  — 

"Help  me  with  these  things  before  she  gits 
back." 

The  man  took  up  the  bread-box,  which  seemed 
heavy,  and  Mrs.  Bowles  the  spice-box :  she  had 


42  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

not  accurately  calculated  its  weight,  so  that  it 
nearly  fell  from  her  grasp  ;  but  before  Liddy  Ann 
returned,  the  boxes  were  disposed  of,  and  Mrs. 
Bowles  and  the  peddler  were  at  the  wagon,  look- 
ing at  the  counterpart  of  those  which  had  been 
removed. 

"  Miz  Bowles,"  bawled  Liddy  from  the  house 
door,  "  they  ain't  a  cent  in  that  there  cracked 
chiny  bowl,  an'  I  let  it  fall  an'  busted  it !  " 

"  Fall  in  the  money  market,"  facetiously  re- 
marked the  peddler.  "  That 's  lucky.  Gold  's 
dreadful  high  ;  forty-three  per  cent,  premium  I  " 

By  this  time  Liddy  Ann  had  reached  the  wagon- 
side. 

"  It  does  n't  make  any  difference  about  the  pay 
to-day,  ma'am.  I  '11  be  in  the  neighborhood  a 
couple  of  weeks,  and  will  be  passing  often,  and 
you  can  pay  me  some  time  when  I  'm  going  by." 

"  I  '11  pay  now !  "  said  Mrs.  Bowles  gruffly,  and 
she  went  to  the  house  in  search  of  funds. 

No  sooner  had  she  disappeared  than  Liddy  Ann 
began  to  assume  a  coquettish  air,  wetting  her  lips 
with  her  tongue,  smoothing  her  locks  and  simper- 
ing foolishly,  as  do  some  women,  unused  to  men's 
notice,  in  the  presence  of  the  most  insignificant 
man. 

"  Did  I  hear  you  say  you  'd  be  in  the  neighbor- 
hood some  time  ?  "  she  asked  in  her  "  company  " 
voice. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  peddler,  as  he  leaned  negligently 
against  the  gate,  rather  impudently  leering  at  her 


THE  TIN-PEDDLER  43 

in  return  for  the  smiles  and  airs  which  he  fully 
comprehended. 

"  Where  're  you  atoppin'  ?  " 

"  No  place  yet.  Just  got  here  last  night. 
Stayed  at  the  tavern  over  at  Ridgely  last  night. 
I  'd  like  to  get  a  place  to  stay  to-night,  and  maybe 
the  rest  of  the  week.  I  've  got  right  smart  to  do 
in  this  neighborhood  if  I  sell  out  my  load." 

"  La,  I  should  say !  You  might  stay  here, 
only  Miz  Bowles  is  so  set  agin'  men,  they  never 
put  their  foot  on  the  place  'less  they  're  sent  for. 
She  don't  like  none  of  'em.  Says  she  knows  'em 
all  as  well  as  if  she  'd  knit  'em  on  two  needles  and 
made  up  the  pattern,"  and  Liddy  Ann  giggled 
cheerfully. 

"  That 's  hard  on  the  young  fellows,  seeing 
there's  such  a  nice  girl  here.  You  can't  make 
me  believe  some  young  buck  don't  come,".,  said 
the  peddler  jocosely. 

"  They  'd  come  mighty  peart  if  she  'd  let  'em  !  " 
said  Liddy  Ann,  nodding  toward  the  door  that  had 
swallowed  up  the  gaunt  form  of  Mrs.  Bowles.  "  I 
can  take  my  choice  ;  fellers  or  my  place !  An'  I 
ain't  a-goin'  to  give  up  a  dollar  job  fer  no  five-cent 
man !  " 

She  gave  him  a  look  which  delicately  conveyed 
that  she  held  him  at  a  much  higher  rate  of  reckon- 
ing. He  laughed  uproariously,  and  slapped  his 
thigh,  in  appreciation  of  her  sprightly  humor. 

"  It 's  mighty  rough  on  the  boys,  I  should  say !  " 
cried  he. 


44  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Nary  a  man  's  set  foot  on  this  place  since  I  've 
been  here  —  and  that 's  since  harvestin'  last  sum- 
mer —  that  don't  belong  here,  but  Alec  Rush,  an' 
he  come  to  set  up  Mrs.  Bowles's  new  cuttin'-box 
that  come  the  day  of  the  quiltin'.  There  was  n't 
no  men-folks  bid  to  that  neither,"  she  interjected 
regretfully.  "  I  declare !  I  think  Miz  Bowles  is 
too  hard  on  'em  !  " 

"  What  kind  of  a  cutting-box  was  it  ?  I  'm  the 
man  that  can  set  them  up  myself ! "  asked  the 
peddler,  reverting  to  the  main  point,  from  which 
Liddy  was  prone  to  wander. 

"  Now  you  've  got  me  guessin' !  I  don't  know  ; 
Alec  took  it  off  in  the  boxes.  Said  it  was  a  tick- 
lish job,  and  he  reckoned  he  could  do  it  better  at 
the  shop.  Seemed  mighty  hard  to  fix,  for  he  ain't 
fetched  it  back  yet !  It 's  nigh  a  week  ago  he  took 
it."   ,. 

"  Likely  something  's  wrong  about  it,  —  some- 
thing missing.  I  '11  take  a  look  at  it  when  I  pass 
the  blacksmith's.     Where  is  his  shop?" 

Liddy  obligingly  explained,  and  then  asked  en- 
gagingly:— 

"  Are  you  argoin'  to  the  barbecue  ?  " 

He  had  never  heard  of  the  barbecue  till  she 
mentioned  it,  but  answered  with  alacrity,  "  Oh, 
yes.  I  '11  be  there.  Hope  you  will,  too.  If  I 
thought  you  would  n't,  more  than  likely  I  'd  stay 
away.    When  is  it  to  be  ?  " 

"  Long  about  the  '  Fourth.'  " 

"  Why,  that 's  Wednesday." 


THE  TIN-PEDDLER  45 

«  Oh,  I  mean  tlie  Fourth  o'  July." 

"  Good  heavens,  that 's  two  months  off !  " 

Liddy  looked  surprised  at  his  astonishment ;  for 
since  the  last  one  the  whole  neighborhood  had  been 
looking  forward  to  the  recurrence  of  the  event, 
with  that  patience  peculiar  to  such  people.  The 
barbecue  was  an  institution  of  the  political  party 
in  power  in  that  and  the  adjoining  township,  and 
occurred  as  regvJarly  as  the  day  rolled  round. 
She  could  see  no  reason  for  surprise  on  his  part 
at  its  being  two  months  off.  Had  Liddy  been 
astute  enough,  the  expression  of  that  emotion  by 
the  peddler  would  have  betrayed  to  her  that  he 
was  accustomed  to  a  crowded  and  busy  life,  one  in 
which  events  hurried  each  other ;  but  she  was  not 
shrewd  enough  to  draw  the  inference,  and,  more- 
over, her  curiosity  was  entirely  without  suspicion. 

"  W'y,  that  ain't  long! "  she  observed.  "  I  kind 
©'thought  mebby  Jim  Swazey 'd  ask  me  to  go. 
But  then  he  ain't  nobody,"  she  said,  with  a  coquet- 
tish giggle  and  a  scornful  toss  of  her  head. 

"  He  'd  better  not,"  said  the  peddler,  with  as- 
sumed ferocity,  cracking  his  whip. 

"  They  do  say  he  's  a-settin'  up  to  Lucetty  Whit- 
taker.  But,  my !  she  's  too  '  uppety '  fer  him. 
She 's  a-studyin'  algibbery  and  a-learnin'  to  play 
on  the  organ ;  the  schoolma'am  's  a-teachin'  her. 
But,  la,  I  ain't  a-carin'  who  he  sparks,  long  's 
't  ain't  me ! "  and  she  pursed  her  lips  contempt- 
uously. 

"  Who  is  this  girl  Lucetta  ?  "  asked  the  peddler. 


46  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Oh,  she 's  Zeb  Whittaker's  girl.  Only  child 
he 's  got  left,  —  had  scads  of  'em,  but  t'  others  is  all 
dead,  —  and  he  can't  support  her  and  her  mammy, 
he 's  that  do-less.  They  do  say  lately  he  's  taken 
to  sleepin'  all  day  an'  runnin'  all  night.  They 
ain't  no  corn  shuckin'  now,"  she  said  musingly,  as 
if  refuting  some  mental  reason  for  Zeb's  peculiar 
somnolency.  "  Anyhow,  that 's  better  than  sleepin' 
all  the  time  he  ain't  eatin'." 

At  this  moment  Mrs.  Bowles  reappeared  with  a 
roll  of  "  shin-plasters,"  —  as  fractional  currency 
was  called,  —  much  out  of  proportion  to  the  price 
asked  for  the  boxes,  one  would  think,  and  gave  it 
to  the  peddler. 

"  That  settles  the  bill?"  she  inquired. 

"Yes,  ma'am." 

He  then  climbed  to  the  high  seat,  turned  the 
wagon  around,  nodded  to  Mrs.  Bowles,  clucked 
to  the  old  horse,  and  clattered  down  the  lane,  not 
before  giving  Liddy  Ann  a  smile  which  so  "  flus- 
tered "  her  she  did  not  notice  he  had  gone  off  with 
the  boxes  after  all. 

As  the  peddler  closed  the  gate  behind  him  he 
said  to  himself  :  — 

"  I  think  I  '11  take  a  hand  in  setting  up  that 
cutting-box !     Shrewd  old  girl,  that  Mrs.  Bowles !  " 

The  whirr  of  Mrs.  Bowles's  wheel  was  sounding 
again  before  he  closed  the  gate ;  but  Liddy  Ann 
was  standing  in  the  doorway  looking  after  him 
regretfully.  He  waved  his  hat  to  her  from  the 
road,  then  drove  rapidly  off  to  the  blacksmith's, 
his  load  jingling  loudly. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  WHITTAKJEES 

The  Whittakers  lived  on  a  rented  place,  contain- 
ing about  thirty-five  acres,  that  belonged  to  Abner 
Neal;  and  the  creek  and  a  by-road  separated  it 
from  his  home  farm.  It  was  a  poor,  worn-out  piece 
of  land, — from  which  the  loam  had  washed,  leav- 
ing bald  fields  of  clay,  —  overrun  by  blackberry 
vines  and  thickets  of  wild  plum,  and  split  nearly  in 
two  by  a  most  picturesque  ravine.  These  ravines 
formed  a  peculiar  feature  of  the  country  there- 
about. They  seemed  to  radiate  from  a  common 
centre,  a  point  on  Honey  Creek  at  the  junction  of 
Clifty  (known  as  "  the  little  creek  ")  with  the  big 
creek.  From  the  top  of  a  high  bluff  on  the  Whit- 
taker  place  could  be  counted  nine  of  the  "  back- 
bones," as  the  ridges  that  separated  the  ravines 
were  called.  They  covered  an  area  of  about  ten 
miles  in  an  almost  complete  semicircle,  and  were 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  creek,  which  was  very  sinu- 
ous throughout  its  entire  course.  The  opposite 
side  of  the  stream  was  lined  with  rich  bottom-lands 
rising  to  gentle  hills,  where  rolling  pastures  alter- 
nated with  magnificent  woodland  and  highly  culti- 
vated fields.      In  the  midst  of  one  of  the  most 


48  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

beautiful  of  these  tracts  stood  a  large  brick  house, 
the  Neal  homestead. 

Every  farm  touching  on  that  side  of  Honey 
Creek  had  one  or  more  of  the  ravines ;  some  were 
deep  and  dark  as  canyons,  others  as  winding  as 
the  labyrinth ;  still  others  were  shallow  glens  or 
mere  hollows.  These  dark,  cool  gorges,  which 
the  sun  never  robbed  of  their  chill,  were  a  tangle 
of  sarsaparilla  and  gosling  and  wild  cucumber  and 
clematis  vines  that  beautified  everything  near  them 
with  thick  shrouding  foliage.  Shade-loving  flow- 
ers, ferns,  and  herbs  flourished  in  the  dim  green 
light  and  cool  moisture  of  their  depths.  Great 
pines  and  hemlocks  found  root-fastness  upon  their 
steep  sides ;  and  in  autumn,  from  inaccessible 
ledges,  the  radiant  red  of  the  sumach  lent  a 
transient,  dazzling  glow  to  the  prevailing  gloom. 
Where  the  sun  glinted  through  a  mass  of  foliage, 
the  partridge-berry  grew  amid  moss  and  lichens, 
giving  a  dash  of  color  to  their  dull  grays  and 
greens.  Spicewood  and  sassafras  blended  their 
odors  with  those  of  the  mints  that  grew  along  the 
"  Branch  ;  "  for,  invariably,  through  every  one  of 
these  mimic  canyons  ran  a  stream  of  water,  if  no 
larger  than  a  crystal  trickle  from  a  choked  foun- 
tain. In  every  case  they  originated  in  a  spring 
at  the  head  of  the  gorge,  where  was  a  place  of 
silence  and  sweet  odors.  The  pioneers  of  Indiana 
had  wisely  chosen  to  make  their  homes  convenient 
to  these  wells  of  living  water,  influenced,  no  doubt, 
by  the   resemblance   of   environment   to   that   of 


THE  WHITTAKERS  49 

the  mountain  gorges  of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky, 
whence  so  many  of  them  came. 

As  a  mere  artistic  feature  of  the  landscape,  these 
ravines  were  neither  prized  nor  admired  by  their 
owners.  The  medicinal  herbs  and  roots  and  the 
various  mints  which  they  yielded  generously,  and 
which  were  in  demand  for  domestic  remedies,  alone 
gave  them  value.  Mrs.  Whittaker  was  skilled  in 
the  preparation  of  these  homely  medicaments,  for 
she  knew  the  name  of  every  plant  that  grew  there 
and  its  peculiar  healing  virtue.  To  her,  the  wild 
gorge  back  of  her  cabin,  with  its  tangle  of  lush 
greens,  its  enchanting  lights  and  shades,  was  of 
supreme  interest.  From  its  heights  and  depths 
were  got  together  the  materials  for  her  "  doc- 
torin',''  and  she  dosed  herself  into  a  bedridden 
ghost  by  the  concoctions  she  made  and  swallowed ; 
but  they  gave  an  otherwise  empty  mind  and  hands 
employment,  and  whiled  away  hours  that  would 
have  been  leaden  in  their  dullness.  Her  cunning 
in  their  distillation  and  use  had  brought  her,  unso- 
licited, the  title  of  "  Herb  Doctor "  among  her 
humble  neighbors. 

There  was  a  narrow,  well-worn  path  running  up 
the  side  of  the  ravine  on  the  Whittaker  place,  and 
across  the  two  or  three  barren  fields.  The  cabin 
stood  in  an  oasis-like  spot  in  the  midst  of  this  bar- 
renness, a  tiny  orchard  of  peach,  apple,  and  wild- 
plum  trees.  Various  sheds  and  log  outhouses  of 
rudest  structure,  —  the  handiwork  of  Zeb,  —  al- 
though out  of  repair,  were  clustered  about  it,  and 
gave  a  homelikeness  to  the  dull  spot. 


50  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

There  were  evidences  that  some  one  took  an  In- 
terest in  the  humble  dwelling;  for  the  two  win- 
dows of  the  cabin  were  clean,  and  draped  with 
fresh  white  curtains  of  "  factory,"  as  they  called 
white  muslin.  They  were  edged  with  an  elaborate 
home-made  lace  knit  on  needles,  and  mutely  testi- 
fied to  the  imperishable  love  of  adornment  in  all 
of  Eve's  daughters. 

A  great  bunch  of  "  pineys  "  stood  by  the  door, 
and  snowball  bushes  grew  on  either  side  of  the 
garden  gate  that  led  into  the  lane. 

A  shallow  free-stone  well,  from  which  the  water 
was  drawn  by  a  sweep,  was  near  the  kitchen  door ; 
and  above  it  grew  two  cone-like  juniper  trees, 
which  shaded  the  little  milk-house,  with  the  vege- 
table pit,  like  a  great  grave,  near  by. 

The  cabin  proper  had  originally  but  one  room, 
perhaps  twenty  feet  square.  On  one  side  was  a 
great  chimney  of  sticks  daubed  with  clay,  and  op- 
posite was  a  rude  partition  of  wood  which  did  not 
reach  to  the  ceiling.  The  narrow  room  thus  cut 
off  was  Lucetta's  special  apartment,  or,  to  speak 
more  exactly,  one  end  of  it  was  hers,  for  the  other 
was  religiously  held  as  the  spare  room.  Tightly 
wedged  in  each  corner  was  a  bed  piled  high  with 
feathers ;  and  in  Lucetta's  was  an  old-fashioned 
chest  of  drawers  of  dark  mahogany,  the  sole  relic 
of  some  prosperous  ancestor.  Both  beds  were  be- 
decked with  valance  and  pillows  profusely  trimmed 
with  lace,  in  the  knitting  of  which  Mrs.  Whittaker 
whiled  away  the  long  winter   days,  and  a  home- 


THE  WHITTAKERS  51 

made  blue-and- white  counterpane  reached  to  the 
valance.  These  white  muslin,  lace-trimmed  val- 
ances were  not  wholly  for  ornament,  but  served  to 
hide  the  jars  of  home-made  preserves,  honey,  dried 
corn,  and  even  boxes  of  clothing,  stowed  away 
under  the  beds. 

The  big  room  was  a  general  sitting-room,  and, 
though  meagerly  furnished,  was  kept  neat  and 
bright.  The  floor  was  covered  with  a  gay  rag  car- 
pet. Against  the  partition,  opposite  the  fireplace, 
was  Mrs.  Whittaker's  bed,  draj)ed  and  trimmed 
even  more  elaborately  than  the  others,  and  in  it 
she  could  be  found  most  of  the  time,  for  she  was 
a  hopeless  invalid,  —  "  hypo  "  her  neighbors  ex- 
pressed it.  There  really  was  some  foundation  for 
her  invalid  state  ;  for  at  the  birth  of  her  third 
child  she  had  suffered  partial  paralysis,  and  had 
never  fully  recovered,  as  one  birth  followed  another 
rapidly.  The  death  of  all  her  children  but  the 
eldest  fixed  the  habit  of  hypochondria;  and  she 
seldom  left  the  house,  her  migrations  being  from 
her  cushioned  rocking-chair  in  the  chimney-corner 
to  her  thick  feather-bed.  It  was  amazing  that  she 
had  survived  her  life  of  inactivity  so  long,  and  it 
proved  that  originally  she  had  been  blessed  with  a 
strong  constitution.  In  the  neighborhood,  sympa- 
thy for  her  had  long  been  displaced  by  contemptu- 
ous pity. 

In  one  angle  of  the  sitting-room  stood  a  really 
handsome  mahogany  corner  cupboard,  which  had 
been  part  of  Mrs.  Whittaker's  mother's  wedding 


52  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

portion,  before  she  had  come  from  Kentucky  to  the 
wilds  of  Indiana.  Through  its  glass  doors  could 
be  seen  old  green  and  blue  dishes.  A  great  chest 
of  drawers  with  glass  knobs  stood  near  the  window. 
The  mantel  above  the  fireplace  was  a  rough  board 
one,  but  it,  too,  was  draped  with  a  valance  in  keep- 
ing with  the  bed,  and  was  further  adorned  by  two 
tall  brass  candlesticks  with  brass  snuffers  and  tray 
complete,  a  moon-faced  clock,  and  a  gorgeous  pea- 
cock tail.  There  was  also  a  row  of  suggestive 
vials  of  assorted  sizes.  Above  all  this  array  was 
a  bracket  of  the  antlers  of  a  deer,  —  shot  by  Mrs. 
Whittaker's  father  in  the  "  early  day,"  —  which 
held  Zeb's  rifle. 

In  the  winter  Lucetta  did  all  the  cooking  at  the 
fireplace,  but  in  summer  she  used  a  cooking-stove 
with  a  top  fashioned  like  two  steps,  which  was  set 
up  in  the  "  lean-to  "  kitchen  that  Zeb,  after  years 
of  procrastination,  had  been  prevailed  on  to  build ; 
for  the  Whittakers  had  lived  on  this  spot  for  the 
twenty  years  since  their  marriage.  True  to  the 
universal  law  governing  such  cases,  the  poorest 
farmer  got  the  poorest  farm  ;  and  Zeb  was  the  man 
of  all  men  to  illustrate  this  truism.  He  cultivated 
the  few  fields  in  the  slackest  manner.  His  corn 
and  wheat  were  always  the  last  planted  and  har- 
vested in  the  community.  The  kitchen  garden, 
once  ploughed,  he  turned  over  entirely  to  the  care  of 
his  daughter.  As  the  "  lame  and  the  lazy  are  al- 
ways provided  for,"  —  a  saying  Mrs.  Bowles  sneer- 
ingly  applied  to  Zeb,  —  he  managed  to  ward  off 


THE  WHITTAKERS  53 

starvation  with  the  least  possible  labor.  In  tbis 
life,  there  seems  to  be  a  certain  amount  of  homely 
duty  apportioned  to  each  person,  which,  if  shirked, 
is  only  added  to  that  of  another  who  is  faithful  in 
the  performance  of  his  own  share.  It  does  not 
follow  that  because  it  is  evaded  by  the  one,  it  is  not 
exacted  of  another  to  the  uttermost. 

Zeb  had  escaped,  as  nearly  as  man  can,  his  share 
of  the  curse  of  Eden ;  he  never  worked  hard  enough 
to  sweat,  nor  earned  enough  to  keep  him  in  bread. 
Not  so  the  women  of  his  household  :  his  wife  had 
brought  forth  many  children  in  sorrow,  and  the 
bread  he  ate  was  from  the  sweat  of  his  daughter's 
brow. 

He  ploughed  and  harrowed  the  fields,  only  because 
the  girl  was  not  strong  enough,  but  she  followed 
patiently  in  the  furrows  dropping  the  corn,  which 
later  she  helped  hoe,  and  in  autumn  gathered  and 
"  shucked."  She  cut  the  potatoes  and  planted 
them,  and  even  followed  after  the  sickle  and  bun- 
dled the  wheat  that  Zeb  leisurely  cut.  He  had 
amazing  faith  in  that  Providence  which  provides 
for  the  idler,  and  planted  only  so  much  of  a  crop  as 
woidd  serve  his  needs  till  the  next  harvest,  never 
giving  thought  to  what  a  year  might  bring  forth  in 
the  way  of  droughts  or  floods. 

There  was,  however,  a  finer  side  to  Zeb's  nature, 
which  showed  itself  in  the  exceeding  neatness  of 
his  attire  of  common  blue  jeans.  His  going-abroad 
coat  —  of  the  shad-belly  pattern  —  was  a  well-fit- 
ting one,  adorned  with  bright  brass  buttons ;  his 


54  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

trousers  were  shapely,  and  never  bagged  at  the 
knees.  Another  of  his  higher  traits  was  his  love 
for  his  fiddle,  on  which  he  played  with  remarkable 
taste  and  feeling  for  one  entirely  untutored.  With 
the  sensitiveness  of  an  artist,  he  shrank  from  mis- 
appreciation  and  indifference,  and  was  shy  of  play- 
ing on  it  before  people  who  did  not  love  it  as  truly 
as  he.  Then,  too,  he  was  noted  for  his  skill  in  or- 
namenting rough,  home-made  wagon  beds,  —  which, 
it  is  needless  to  say,  he  had  no  part  in  making,  — 
and  was  thought  to  have  a  nice  taste  in  colors  ; 
his  scrolls  and  flowers  were  the  wonder  and  delight 
of  his  neighbors,  who  sought  his  services  in  that 
line.  Somewhere  back  in  Zeb's  ancestral  tree  had 
flourished  an  artist,  whose  genius  had  filtered  down 
through  many  generations  to  this  humble  scion, 
and  showed  itself  paradoxically  in  bigger  brushes 
and  paint-pots. 

Lucetta  had  mental  and  moral  qualities  —  per- 
haps owing  to  a  strong  hereditary  strain  dormant 
in  her  parents  —  which  neither  her  father  nor  her 
mother  manifested.  She  had  been  forced  gradually 
to  assume  responsibilities  which  were  rightly  theirs, 
thus  in  some  measure  reversing  the  attitudes  of 
parent  and  child.  Cut  off  by  circumstances  from 
intimate  association  with  her  neighbors,  she  was 
thrown  much  on  her  own  resources.  She  would 
not  accept  the  meagre  hospitality  of  the  community, 
because  she  could  not  in  any  way  return  it.  Lack 
of  companionship  created  the  habit  of  introspection, 
and  she  became  serious,  thoughtful,  and  sedate  be- 


THE  WHITTAKERS  55 

yond  her  years,  and  keenly  alive  to  tlie  marvelous- 
ness  of  common  things  about  her.  Her  only  real 
pleasure  was  drawn  from  a  knowledge  of  the  plants 
which  grew  in  the  ravine,  and  of  the  insects  she 
fought  in  the  kitchen  garden,  whose  peculiarities 
and  habits  she  knew  better  than  those  of  her 
neighbors.  She  cherished  aspirations  to  be  and 
do  more  than  her  present  life  promised,  but  she 
kept  her  own  counsel.  It  was  not  until  the  coming 
of  Miss  Abbot,  the  new  teacher,  that  the  first  puff 
of  destiny  blew  on  this  spark  of  ambition  smoulder- 
ing in  her  soul,  like  fire  in  punk  that  needs  but  a 
breath  to  set  it  aglow. 

Such  ambition  in  women  is  pitiful,  since  it  is  so 
rarely  realized.  For  conscience  throttles  it  in  favor 
of  a  lowly  but  imperative  duty,  which  neither  ele- 
vates the  performer  nor  rouses  one  whit  of  grati- 
tude in  those  for  whom  the  sacrifice  is  made,  and 
by  whom  it  is  accepted  as  a  matter  of  course. 

When  Miss  Abbot  came  into  the  neig-hborhood, 
chance  threw  her  and  Lucetta  together,  and,  not- 
withstanding twenty  years'  disparity  in  age,  a 
friendship  grew  up  between  them. 

It  was  then  the  custom  in  all  the  district  schools 
of  Indiana  for  the  teacher  to  act  as  janitor,  or 
pay  for  such  service  out  of  his  own  pocket.  Miss 
Abbot  had  been  told  she  might  possibly  get  Zeb 
Whittaker  to  sweep  out  and  build  fires  at  the 
school-house,  as  it  was  not  very  far  from  his  cabin. 
Zeb  declined,  but  Lucetta  offered  to  do  the  work 
in  return  for  lessons  in  algebra,  history,  and  gram- 


56  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

mar,  just  after  school,  three  evenings  in  the  week. 
Miss  Abbot  became  deeply  interested  in  her,  and 
Liicetta  proved  an  apt  pupil,  doing  so  well  that 
she  hoped  by  next  autumn  to  be  able  to  secure  a 
license  and  herself  become  a  teacher,  which  was 
her  cherished  ambition.  She  saw,  in  the  realiza- 
tion of  her  hopes,  help  and  comforts  for  her  sickly 
mother  which  she  could  not  now  command.  She 
had  long  since  ceased  to  expect  anything  of  the 
rightful  head  of  the  family,  and  rarely  gave  a 
thought  to  his  indolence,  but  took  it  as  a  matter  of 
course  ;  it  was  as  much  a  part  of  his  character  as 
his  good-nature. 

Miss  Abbot  was  a  woman  of  strong  character, 
sensible,  independent,  and  fearless.  She  was  a 
granddaughter  of  one  of  the  educational  pioneers 
of  the  State,  who  had  come  out  from  the  East  and 
founded  a  college  in  the  heart  of  the  primeval 
forest  girdling  the  tiny  settlement  of  Crofton. 
She  possessed  the  qualities  of  her  sire,  pluck  and 
perseverance,  and  was  thoroughly  well  educated. 
Like  him,  she  was  an  abolitionist  of  the  blackest 
hue,  but  though  she  did  not  hide  the  fact,  neither 
did  she  boast  of  it;  and,  being  gifted  with  tact, 
she  gave  no  offense  even  in  Riffle  Township,  where 
such  opinions  were  hotly  opposed.  She  came  into 
Lucetta's  arid  life,  like  a  refreshing  rain  in  the 
midst  of  a  drought,  at  the  moment  of  her  greatest 
need. 

Of  late,  Zeb  had  been  neglecting  his  work  even 
more  than  usual,  and  it  was  only  by  repeated  urg- 


THE  WHITTAKERS  57 

ing  that  Lucetta  moved  him  to  break  the  ground 
for  corn  and  for  her  garden,  which  provided  the 
greater  part  of  tbgir  food  for  the  summer. 

Instead  of  going  to  bed  at  nightfall  as  formerly, 
he  left  the  house  soon  after  supper  and  returned 
very  late,  and  would  sullenly  evade  their  question- 
ing as  to  his  nocturnal  jaunts. 

For  days  after  the  meeting  at  Harv  Wilson's 
cabin,  Zeb  sat  over  the  fire  brooding.  He  was  one 
of  those  nerveless  men  that  collapse  mentally  and 
physically  when  anything  like  responsibility  falls 
upon  them.  During  those  hours  of  self-communion 
he  was  conscience-smitten ;  tortured  by  cowardly 
fears,  he  suffered  to  the  depths  of  his  shallow,  fal- 
tering soul.  But  he  was  not  clever  enough  to  see 
that  he  had  been  the  victim  in  the  dealing  of  the 
lot,  not  inventive  enough  to  evade  it,  nor  energetic 
enough  to  run  away.  Like  the  craven  he  was,  he 
made  the  innocent  women  of  his  household,  igno- 
rant of  its  cause,  suffer  with  him,  during  the  inter- 
val between  the  allotment  and  fulfillment  of  his 
terrible  duty.  Members  of  the  "  Vestibule  "  were 
the  dupes  and  tools  of  the  three  higher  orders  of 
the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  and  were  not 
taken  into  confidence  further  than  to  make  them 
useful.  The  real  intentions  and  purposes  of  the 
higher  degrees  they  never  knew.  They  were  in- 
timidated by  vague  threats  of  vengeance,  and  pla- 
cated by  specious  promises,  to  make  them  faithful 
and  obedient. 

A  glimmering  of  the  baseness  of  his  ingratitude 


58  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

penetrated  Zeb's  feeble  brain,  as  the  heinousness 
of  such  a  crime  did  not ;  for  Harv  had  inspired  in 
him  a  fanatical  ardor  for  "  the  cause,"  and  he  was 
not  capable  of  more  than  one  impression  at  a  time. 
Abner  Neal  had  always  been  his  benefactor,  and, 
when  no  one  else  would,  he  had  accepted  him  as  a 
tenant,  and  times  without  number  had  forgiven 
him  his  debt  for  the  rent :  he  had  often  furnished 
him  with  the  necessaries  of  life  for  the  sake  of  his 
"  women  folks,"  before  Lucetta  was  old  enough  to 
realize  the  shamefulness  of  his  improvidence  and 
put  an  end  to  it.  But  Abner  Neal  was  a  Union 
man,  and  had  incurred  the  enmity  of  the  order,  and 
Zeb  was  to  be  the  instrument  of  his  punishment. 

On  this  particular  evening,  early  in  May,  Zeb 
sat  tilted  forward  on  the  front  legs  of  his  splint- 
bottomed  chair,  huddling  over  the  fire,  wherein 
smouldered  a  backlog,  now  a  mass  of  fleecy  gray 
ashes  that  seemed  always  moving,  under  which, 
whenever  a  puff  of  wind  blew  the  ashes  aside, 
could  be  seen  the  heart  of  fire.  He  was  slowly 
cracking  each  joint  of  his  long  bony  fingers,  the 
only  thing  he  ever  did  industriously,  and  ruminat- 
ing intently.  As  a  rule,  Lucetta  gave  little  heed 
to  his  laggard  ways,  but  his  pale,  blank  eyes,  in 
which  vacancy  usually  dwelt,  now  had  a  look  of 
distress  that  attracted  her  notice  as  he  occasionally 
lifted  them  to  her  face.  His  nature  was  not  strong 
enough  to  bear  his  burden  alone,  and  Lucetta  felt 
from  this  new  expression  that  he  was  mutely  ask- 
ing for  help. 


THE  WHITTAKERS  59 

"  Pappy,"  she  asked,  "  what 's  the  matter  ?  Are 
you  ailin'  ?  " 

"  Not  perticaler,  but  then  I  don't  feel  right 
peart." 

After  a  pause  he  asked,  "  Lucetty,  do  you  know 
what '  Arcturus '  is  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Pappy,  Arcturus  is  the  name  of  a  star ;  it 
means  '  The  Bear's  Guard,'  and  it 's  called  that 
because  it 's  near  The  Great  Bear,  —  a  group  of 
stars,  you  know,  —  and  guards  it.  But  what  a 
queer  question.  Pappy !  " 

He  ignored  her  surprise  and  said :  "  Means  a 
guard,  does  it  ?  Well,  mebby  so,"  shaking  his 
head  doubtfully,  "  mebby  so.  But  what  the  devil 
does"  —  and  he  stopped  suddenly,  realizing  that 
he  was  talking  aloud,  after  the  habit  of  people 
much  alone. 

"Did  the  teacher  learn  you  all  that,  Lucetty? 
She  knows  a  heap,  don't  she  ?  "  he  asked,  with  an 
attempt  at  sprightliness  and  interest  that  did  not 
deceive  the  girl,  nor  divert  her  attention  from  the 
glimpse  she  had  of  his  trouble,  betrayed  by  this 
unusual  question.  It  at  once  aroused  her  suspicion, 
and  made  her  anxious.  Far  more  intelligent  than 
he,  she  was  able  to  deduce  reasons  and  form  opinions 
with  surprising  correctness. 

The  news  of  the  call  of  the  President  for  more 
men,  and  of  the  impending  draft,  had  reached  her 
in  the  weekly  newspaper  which  Miss  Abbot  took, 
the  only  one  except  Abner  Neal's  that  came  to  the 
community.     She  had  heard,  too,  of  the  Order  of 


60  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  but  of  their  pre- 
sence in  the  township  she  had  not  the  slightest 
suspicion.  They  had  not  yet  begun  that  series  of 
petty  crimes  and  flagrant  lawlessness  that  harassed 
the  Commonwealth  so  greatly.  Why  the  prospec- 
tive draft  should  distress  her  father  she  could  not 
understand ;  for  their  township  would  escape,  as 
the  Union  men  of  both  parties  had  volunteered 
and  filled  its  quota. 

She  watched  him  warily  as  she  prepared  their 
early  supper,  and  when  he  ate  sparingly  of  the 
homely  meal  of  cold  greens,  young  onions,  corn- 
bread,  and  rhubarb  pie,  —  all  favorite  dishes  with 
him,  —  she  was  convinced  something  more  than 
usual  was  amiss. 

Toward  dusk  he  grew  more  nervous,  and  took 
his  cap  off  its  peg  and  said  :  — 

"  Well,  Lucetty,  I  've  got  to  go  over  to  the 
blacksmith  shop  —  to  see  about  —  a  "  —  (he  hesi- 
tated, his  dull  wits  unused  to  inventing  excuses) 
—  "  to  see  about  mendin'  the  ploughshare." 

Lucetta  well  knew  it  was  sticking  in  the  furrow 
intact. 

"  It  seems  to  me  it  would  do  just  as  well  to  take 
it  to  him  to-morrow,  seeing  he  don't  work  nights." 

Made  suspicious  through  his  fears,  he  regarded 
this  innocent  speech  as  an  intentional  sneer. 

"That's  none  o'  your  business,  Lucetty.  You 
ain't  got  no  right  to  talk  to  your  pap  that-a-way." 

He  took  down  his  gun  and  departed,  trembling 
from  his  unusual  outbreak.     He  rarely  spoke  in 


THE  WHITTAKERS  61 

anger  to  Lucetta,  and  she  wonderingly  watched 
him  taking  the  short  cut  across  the  ravine  to  the 
smithy,  which  lay  half  a  mile  south  on  the  Kidgely 
road. 

"  What  ails  him,  I  wonder  ?  Something 's  come 
over  him,  certain." 

"  He 's  just  like  all  men-folkses,"  observed  her 
mother  in  a  peevish  little  voice,  from  the  depths 
of  her  rocking-chair.  "  When  they  git  a  chance, 
they  're  just  as  gosterin'  and  masterful  as  they  can 
be.  Him  a-goin'  off  that-a-way,  and  me  a  feelin' 
that  bad  with  such  a  misery  in  my  stummick !  " 
and  she  moaned  in  self-pity. 

Lucetta,  accustomed  to  such  complaints,  asked 
absently  from  the  doorway :  — 

"  Are  you  feelin'  poorly,  mammy  ?  " 

She  had  great  sympathy  for  her  mother,  and 
believed  devoutly  in  all  her  aches  and  pains.  She 
went  quickly  to  her,  when  a  groan  was  her  only 
answer. 

"  Do  you  want  your  ginseng  bitters,  or  boneset 
tea,  mammy?  "  she  asked  solicitously. 

Mrs.  Whittaker  had  eaten  heartily  of  their  heavy 
supper,  her  not  infrequent  habit,  notwithstanding 
her  invalid  state,  and,  writhing  in  real  pain  now, 
groaned  out : — 

"  Oh,  such  a  misery !  " 

Lucetta  hastily  hung  the  kettle  on  the  crane, 
and  threw  chips  on  the  drowsing  tire  to  heat  water, 
and  she  soon  made  ready  the  simple  remedies  she 
used  in  such  attacks.     But  they  brought  no  relief, 


62  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

all  failed  now,  and  Lucetta  was  really  alarmed  as 
the  hours  passed  and  her  mother  became  paler  and 
more  deathly  sick. 

-  When  the  clock  struck  eleven,  Zeb  had  not 
returned,  and  Lucetta  said  :  — 

"  Mammy,  I  've  done  all  I  can.  Do  you  think 
you  'd  be  afraid  to  stay  alone  while  I  run  over 
to  Rush's  to  get  some  one  to  go  for  the  doctor? 
Maybe  I  '11  have  to  go  on  to  Ridgely  myself,  if 
Alec  ain't  home,  but  I  '11  get  Mrs.  Eush  to  stay 
with  you  if  I  do." 

Her  mother  nodded  an  assent,  and  the  girl 
swiftly  left  the  house,  tying  on  her  sun-bonnet. 
The  moon  was  on  the  wane,  and  gave  but  little  light 
to  brighten  her  path  through  the  fields. 

On  reaching  Rush's,  Lucetta  found  no  men  there, 
but  Mrs.  Rush,  usually  an  arrant  coward,  was 
moved  to  pity  by  the  girl's  anxiety,  —  which  from 
long  habit  she  thought  quite  unnecessary,  —  and 
went  back  with  her  to  stay  with  her  mother,  while 
Lucetta  continued  on  her  errand  alone. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"THE   LONE   star" 

LucETTA  took  the  path  down  the  ravine,  and, 
when  she  reached  the  place  where  her  canoe  was 
tied  up,  quickly  unfastened  it  and  poled  off  into 
mid-stream.  In  that  neighborhood,  where  the 
farms  lay  along  the  creek,  a  very  common  mode  of 
travel  was  by  canoes,  which  were  in  as  constant 
use  for  locomotion  as  horses.  Every  family  owned 
one  or  more;  even  the  children  were  skilled  in 
handling  them,  a  very  delicate  operation. 

Lucetta  stood  in  the  middle,  tall  and  straight, 
dipping  her  long  paddle  deftly  and  evenly.  She 
was  soon  in  the  strong  current,  and  it  swept  her 
along  so  rapidly  that  it  took  little  effort  on  her 
part  except  to  keep  off  the  huge  boulders,  which 
now  and  then  stuck  their  gray  crowns  out  of  the 
water. 

The  stream  ran  between  rolling  fields  on  one 
hand  and  high  bluffs,  broken  at  frequent  intervals 
by  ravines,  on  the  other.  The  bluffs  were  black 
in  the  shadow  of  the  balsam  and  pine.  The  night 
was  very  silent,  except  for  the  recurring  screech 
of  an  owl,  which  sounded  sadly,  or  when  a  frog 
shrieked  in  dismay  as  it  plunged  from  a  boulder 


64  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

mid-stream ;  and  the  water  swung  along  with  a 
deep  cadence,  like  a  low-pitched  human  voice,  hush- 
ing the  finer  silvery  tones  of  the  spring  branches 
that  emptied  into  it.  None  of  these  night  sounds 
disturbed  Lucetta,  for  to  her  they  were  as  familiar 
as  the  voices  of  friends.  The  "  old  moon,"  hung 
in  a  sky  full  of  cloud-hummocks,  was  hardly  risen 
to  the  treetops ;  its  light  fell  feebly,  scarcely  pier- 
cing through  them  to  the  shadowed  stream.  But 
Lucetta  knew  its  channel  as  well  in  the  dark  as  in 
the  light,  for  it  was  the  shortest  route  to  the  village? 
and  she  nearly  always  made  use  of  it.  After  pad- 
dling two  miles  down-stream,  she  made  a  landing 
above  the  riffle,  at  the  ford  of  the  Kidgely  road, 
to  take  the  path  on  the  edge  of  the  wood,  which 
led  to  the  village,  still  a  half  mile  away,  where  the 
doctor  lived. 

As  she  clambered  up  the  short,  steep  bank  into 
the  wood,  the  clouds  that  had  been  obscuring  the 
sky  suddenly  cleared,  and,  with  head  up  in  the  effort 
of  reaching  the  summit,  she  saw  a  gleam  of  some- 
thing bright  in  the  top  of  an  oak-tree  that  stood 
somewhat  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  forest,  where 
it  had  been  thinned  to  let  in  the  sunshine  along 
the  edge  of  a  wheat  field.  At  any  other  time  her 
curiosity  would  have  been  aroused  to  learn  the 
cause  of  that  mysterious  shining,  but  now  anxiety 
swallowed  up  every  other  feeling.  She  took  the 
foot-path  just  within  the  wood,  close  by  the  fence 
that  bounded  the  field.  In  the  middle  of  the  wood 
the  night  noises  reasserted  themselves,  dispelling 


"  THE  LONE  STAR  "  65 

Ler  distress,  and  filling  her  with  nervous  dread  of 
she  knew  not  what,  a  dread  that  swiftly  turned  to 
fear  when  an  appalling  cry  broke  the  silence,  seem- 
ing to  come  from  the  black  depths  beyond  her. 
The  dull  seesawing  of  crickets,  the  varied  croak- 
ing of  frogs,  the  shuddering  cry  of  the  lich-owl, 
have  no  greater  terrors  for  a  country  girl  than  the 
homely  crow  of  cocks,  which  were  now  telling  the 
hour  from  farmstead  to  farmstead.  But  this  cry, 
which  seemed  that  of  neither  man  nor  brute,  stopped 
her  blood  with  a  clutch  at  her  heart,  and  stayed 
her  feet  on  the  path. 

It  wailed  out  weirdly,  not  loud,  but  far-reach- 
ing:— 

"  O— a— k— houn  !  " 

"  What  is  it  ?  What  is  it  ?  "  she  whispered, 
appealing  to  that  stronger  self  to  which  we  go  for 
cheer  or  courage  when  our  every-day  seK  is  baffled 
and  discomfited.  Some  instinct  warned  her  of 
danger  and  suggested  hiding.  A  few  yards  ahead 
of  her,  in  a  corner,  on  both  sides  of  the  rail  fence, 
a  tangle  of  wild-gooseberry  bushes  grew,  on  which 
the  young  leaves  were  just  putting  forth.  As  she 
stood  that  instant  in  the  path,  holding  counsel 
with  herself,  the  cry  was  repeated  many  times,  far 
and  faint,  from  all  directions.  She  made  her 
way  swiftly  to  the  clump  of  bushes,  and,  creeping 
behind  this  prickly  covert  into  the  fence  corner, 
waited  for  a  revelation,  or  a  return  of  tranquillity. 
The  moon  was  now  bright  overhead.  Its  marred 
proportions  added  to  the  mournfulness  of  the  night, 


66  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

and  afforded  a  mild  illumination  to  tlie  path  and 
the  trees  bordering  it,  but  made  the  dense  shade  of 
those  beyond  her  seem  blacker  by  contrast. 

She  was  hardly  hidden  when  a  man  came 
quickly  and  noiselessly  down  the  path  in  the  direc- 
tion to  which  she  was  bound ;  others,  from  the 
creek ;  three  or  four  appeared  from  the  gloom  of 
the  wood,  until  a  company  of  nearly  a  dozen  had 
gathered  under  the  great  oak  where  the  strange 
light  glittered.  One,  who  seemed  to  be  the  leader 
of  this  mysterious  band,  shifted  his  position  so  that 
the  moonlight  fell  on  his  face,  and  Lucetta  saw 
Harv  Wilson. 

"  What  can  it  mean  ?  Why  do  they  come  here 
in  the  night  ?  "  she  said  to  herself. 

Then  she  saw  his  companions  go  through  singu- 
lar motions  with  hands  and  arms  and  feet,  and 
utter  strange  gibberish.  The  words  she  could  not 
hear  distinctly,  but  the  gestures  she  coidd  easily 
follow,  especially  those  of  Harv  Wilson,  who  stood 
a  little  apart.  He  placed  the  heel  of  his  right  foot 
in  the  hollow  of  the  left,  and  the  right  hand  under 
the  left  arm ;  then,  changing  the  position  of  his 
arms,  folded  them  and  placed  the  four  fingers  of 
his  left  hand  on  the  right  arm,  and  those  of  the 
right  hand  on  the  left  arm,  with  serious  gravity,  in 
perfect  silence.  He  was  imitated  by  all  present 
except  one  solitary  spectator.  Then,  with  a  wave 
of  his  arm,  Harv  dismissed  them  into  the  dej^ths  of 
the  woods,  except  the  looker-on.  He  engaged  him 
in  a  pantomime  somewhat  different.    Each  took  the 


"THE  LONE  STAR"  67 

other's  right  hand  In  an  ordinary  grip,  and  placed 
the  left  hand  on  the  other's  breast ;  then  shifted 
the  right  hand  to  the  other's  wrist,  and  straightened 
the  thumb  out  on  it.  The  wind,  veering,  carried 
to  her  words  uttered  in  Harv's  coarse  voice,  which, 
in  attempting  to  subdue,  he  made  more  distinct. 
"  If  I  go  to  the  east "  —  he  said  and  paused, 
while  another  voice  of  finer  timbre  completed  the 
sentence,  —  "I  will  go  to  the  west.  Let  there  be 
no  strife  "  —  he,  too,  abruptly  stopped,  and  Harv 
took  it  up,  "  between  mine  and  thine  —  (pause)  — 
"  for  we,"  resumed  the  other  voice,  "  be  brethren," 
with  strong  emphasis  on  "be." 

"  Resistance  to  tyrants,"  said  Harv,  —  "  is  obe- 
dience to  God,"  the  other  man  concluded,  which 
seemed  to  satisfy  Harv,  for  with  that  the  colloquy 
ended. 

They  set  out  to  follow  their  companions  into  the 
woods,  and  the  miknown  man  lifted  his  hat  from 
his  head  and  wiped  his  brow  with  a  dark  handker- 
chief. As  he  did  so,  his  features  were  revealed 
clearly  enough  for  her  to  see  that  they  were  unfa- 
miliar. 

There  was  a  slight  twittering  in  the  bushes,  as 
of  birds  disturbed  in  sleep,  and  all  was  still.  With 
amazement  and  dread  Lucetta  witnessed  this  mys- 
terious rite  under  the  oak-tree.  She  had  beheld  a 
dozen  men  engaged  in  this  ceremony,  and  had  seen 
the  faces  of  but  two,  and,  if  called  upon  to  do 
so,  could  have  identified  Harv's  only.  The  others 
turned  their  backs,  as  if  intentionally  hiding  their 


68  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

faces.  She  had  no  inkling  of  the  strange  scene, 
but,  knowing  well  the  lawless  character  of  Harv 
Wilson,  was  convinced  it  boded  nothing  good.  It 
was  with  profound  relief  she  welcomed  the  silence 
that  proved  them  out  of  hearing,  but  it  was  with  a 
thrill  of  greater  terror  that  she  saw  a  sturdy,  boy- 
ish figure  rise  from  the  field-side  of  her  ambush, 
leap  the  fence,  and  noiselessly  follow  Harv  and  his 
comrades  into  the  darkness. 

Lucetta  waited  a  short  time,  in  affrighted  sur- 
prise, to  be  certain  she  was  unobserved,  then 
climbed  into  the  field,  to  have  the  fence  for  a  bar- 
rier between  her  and  any  other  mysterious  thing 
that  might  cross  her  path,  and  crouchingly  made 
her  way  to  the  road,  running  swiftly. 

When  she  reached  the  doctor's  home  she  found 
he  was  out,  and  left  word  for  him,  on  his  return, 
to  come  as  quickly  as  possible.  She  took  no  one 
into  her  confidence  in  regard  to  her  strange  experi- 
ence, but  hastily  retraced  her  steps  homeward  by 
the  same  wood-path,  not  without  rigors  of  fear. 
She  reached  the  canoe  unmolested,  and  was  unloos- 
ing it,  when  she  almost  shrieked  aloud  as  a  voice 
called  softly :  — 

"  Hold  on  there  ! "  and  a  man  came  hastily 
down  the  shallow  bank  from  the  willows  where  he 
had  been  under  cover. 

"  Don't  be  frightened !     Are  n't  you  Lucy  ?  " 
"  Yes,"  she  answered  sharply,  "  but  you  "  ?  — 
"  Don't  you  know  my  voice  ?     It 's  Frank." 
She  had  not  seen  Frank  since  his  return  on  a 


"THE  LONE  STAR"  69 

furlough  nearly  a  month  ago,  except  at  the  church 
the  day  of  the  violent  scene. 

"How  did  you  come  here  at  this  time  of  night?  " 
she  asked,  her  voice  vibrating  nervously. 

"  That 's  what  I  've  got  to  know  from  you,"  he 
said,  by  way  of  reply,  as  he  righted  the  canoe. 
"  Step  in,"  he  said,  almost  as  if  giving  a  military 
command.  "  It  '11  be  safer  to  talk  in  the  canoe. 
I  'U  paddle  her." 

Lucetta  had  not  recovered  her  composure  enough 
to  resist,  and  mechanically  obeyed.  Frank  him- 
self stepped  in,  and,  standing  lusty  and  upright, 
pushed  off,  exerting  all  his  strength  against  the 
opposing  current.  When  they  were  out  of  sight 
and  beyond  hearing  of  any  chance  loiterer,  he  said 
earnestly :  — 

"  Lucy,  do  you  love  your  State,  and  do  you  care 
for  the  boys  in  blue  ?  "  He  paused  an  instant,  but, 
before  she  could  reply,  continued :  "  If  you  do, 
don't  speak  a  word  to  any  one  of  what  you  have 
seen  to-night  till  I  ask  you." 

"  Why  shoidd  n't  I  ?  "  she  inquired  wonderingly. 

"  It  is  of  the  greatest  imjjortance  it  should  n't 
be  known.  There  are  reasons  that  I  cannot  ex- 
plain, and  if  you  tell  now  you  'd  be  worse  than  a 
traitor.  Give  me  your  promise,"  he  demanded 
earnestly. 

"  I  promise,  Frank." 

He  paddled  strongly  against  the  brawling  cur- 
rent, impeded  by  a  big  boulder,  and,  when  in 
smoother  water,  pulled  in  to  the  shore  to   a  dark 


70  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

spot  under  the  over-hanging  evergreens,  and  lay  to 
a  moment. 

"  Now,  Lucy,  tell  me  what  brought  you  out  at 
such  an  hour." 

She  told  him,  and  added  urgently,  "  Oh,  Frank, 
let  us  go.     Poor  mammy  needs  me." 

Frank  was  as  skeptical  as  every  one  else  in  re- 
gard to  "mammy,"  and  made  no  reply  to  her 
appeal. 

"  I  saw  you  coming  down  the  path,"  he  said, 
"  and  never  was  more  surprised  in  my  life,  for  I 
thought  only  men  were  in  it.  But  there  's  more 
than  one  woman,  I  find." 

"  In  what,  Frank  ?  " 

"  Never  you  mind.  I  can't  tell  you  now,  Lucy. 
I  'm  as  good  as  on  oath  not  to.  You  '11  know 
soon  enough.  Things  are  coming  to  pass  within 
the  next  two  or  three  months,  in  this  old  Hoosier 
State,  that  will  surprise  you." 

With  a  few  sturdy  strokes,  the  canoe  was  again 
in  mid-stream,  and  soon  after  tied  up  at  its  own 
landing. 


CHAPTER  IX 

MRS.   WHITTAKER  VINDICATED 

For  once,  Mrs.  Whittaker's  illness  proved  to  be 
real.  When  Lucetta  reached  home,  she  found  her 
mother  attended  only  by  Mrs.  Rush.  Zeb  had  not 
yet  returned  from  his  mysterious  absence,  but  came 
shortly,  and  was  stunned  into  even  greater  useless- 
ness  by  his  wife's  serious  state.  When  the  doctor 
arrived,  he  found  his  patient  in  a  condition  in 
which  his  ministerings  availed  nothing,  and  before 
morning  Mrs.  Whittaker  vindicated  her  claim  to 
being  an  invalid  by  dying. 

The  news  of  her  death  spread  about  the  neigh- 
borhood with  amazing  speed,  and,  strangely  enough, 
was  a  shock  to  the  people,  who  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  saying,  in  regard  to  her  ailments,  "  A 
creaking  door  hangs  longest."  The  women  has- 
tened to  offer  their  help,  which  had  been  so  rarely 
proffered  in  her  lifetime,  and  with  which  Lucetta 
would  gladly  have  dispensed.  There  was  an  un- 
written law  against  her  performing  the  last  offices 
for  the  dead.  It  was  thought  imfitting  that  she 
should  straighten  the  lifeless  limbs  whose  staff 
and  stay  she  had  been  so  long;  should  fold  the 
smooth  hands  in  whose  tender  care  hers  had  been 


72  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

roughened ;  should  comb  the  long  hair,  still  so 
bright  and  abundant,  which,  with  daughterly  pride, 
she  had  kept  tidy  and  beautiful ;  should  enrobe 
for  the  last  time  that  paralyzed  body  she  had 
dressed  for  years  as  faithfully  as  a  mother  tends 
her  babe.  None  of  these  services  were  seemly 
now,  and  Lucetta  could  not  but  reflect  bitterly  on 
the  display  of  tardy  kindness  that  had  forced  her 
to  yield  them  into  strangers'  hands.  It  was  with 
pain  that  she  resigned  herself  to  unkind  custom  to 
sit  idly  apart  in  her  tiny  bedroom. 

The  sound  of  women's  voices,  subdued  but  cheer- 
ful, and  the  clatter  of  cooking  utensils,  reached 
her  there,  and  Lucetta  realized  sadly  there  was  no 
grief  in  any  heart  but  her  own.  She  sorrowed  for 
the  dead,  not  as  a  child  for  a  mother,  but  as  a 
mother  over  a  helpless  creature,  who,  for  some  phy- 
sical or  mental  lack,  is  left  to  her  sole  cherishing, 
after  the  cruel  wont  of  mankind.  From  childhood, 
Lucetta  had  assvuned  the  burdens  of  that  feeble, 
complaining  mother,  and  indulged  her  childish 
whims.  The  strongest  interest  of  the  woman's  life 
was  "  herb  doctorin',"  and  it  was  among  Lucetta's 
greatest  pleasures,  so  pitifully  few,  to  secure  mate- 
rials for  her  decoctions.  As  soon  as  the  sap  crept 
upward  in  the  spring,  she  dug  the  sassafras  root, 
and  later  stripped  the  tender  green  spicewood 
twigs  of  their  bark  to  make  her  fragrant  teas  and 
coax  a  sickly  appetite.  From  the  crystal  thread 
of  the  stream  in  the  ravine,  she  gathered  sweet, 
cool-breathed  mints,  and  she  despoiled  the  boggy 


MRS.  WHITTAKER  VINDICATED  73 

places  of  calamus.  She  plucked  the  odorous  pen- 
nyroyal from  under  the  beeches  in  the  wood,  and 
hunted  in  seclnded  spots  for  the  rare  ginseng; 
found  "  boneset "  and  sarsaparilla  for  her  bitters ; 
dried  bunches  of  catnip  and  hoarhound;  and  in 
August  picked  the  coral  partridge-berries.  When 
the  leaves  fell  in  the  autumn,  she  climbed  the 
steep  sunny  side  of  the  ravine  to  rob  the  sumach 
of  its  flaming  seed-cones,  and  from  its  near  neigh- 
bor, the  wahoo,  pillaged  the  pink  twin-capsided 
berries.  She  planted  herbs  in  her  garden,  sage 
and  thyme,  camomile  and  rue,  for  her  use.  These 
she  garnered  for  winter  and  stored  in  the  shallow 
loft  above  the  sitting-room,  till  the  cabin  reeked 
with  mingled  odors  of  roots  and  herbs.  All  were 
beneficent  agents  which  ministered  to  both  mother 
and  daughter,  though  in  widely  different  ways. 
Lucetta  was  thus  brought  into  a  close,  earnest 
study  of  nature ;  and  a  mind  so  occupied  has  no 
room  for  sordid  thoughts  or  petty  schemings,  for 
Nature  washes  its  tablets  clean  with  her  dews  and 
showers,  and  writes  on  it  the  story  of  her  mysteri- 
ous enchantments. 

Lucetta  was  so  familiar  with  the  haunts  and 
growth  of  all  these  homely  simples  that  in  later 
years  they  furnished  a  sort  of  humble  calendar  to 
her  mother's  memory.  The  lengthening  days  of 
February  reminded  her  of  sassafras  time ;  if  she 
trod  on  mint  and  crushed  from  it  a  pungent  breath, 
her  thoughts  flew  back  to  those  bygone  days ;  and 
so  throughout  the  year  to  autumn's  last  offering. 


74  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

The  day  of  the  funeral  fell  on  Sunday,  and  was 
one  of  unusual  activity  for  the  self-constituted 
helpers,  who,  without  realizing  it,  were  making  it 
a  day  of  recreation.  It  was  a  time  of  universal 
leisure ;  funeral  guests  would  come  from  far  and 
near,  and  must  be  fed.  In  the  early  morning 
hours,  bustling  sounds  reached  Lucetta,  and  brought 
with  them  the  mortifying  conviction  that  the  neigh- 
bors must  have  brought  the  provision  for  the  feast 
from  their  own  homes.  She  surmised  that  the  fine 
cloth  to  be  used  on  the  table  had  been  borrowed 
from  "Neal's  folks,"  who  were  known  to  possess 
the  best  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  women  inspected  Lucetta's  wardrobe,  and 
openly  criticised  its  paucity  and  unfitness  for  the 
occasion  ;  but  finally  settled  among  themselves  that 
her  brown  delaine  would  do  to  wear  to  the  funeral, 
if  some  one  would  lend  her  a  black  shawl  and  a 
hat,  for  she  possessed  only  a  hood  and  sun-bonnet. 
The  one  was  borrowed  from  Mrs.  Rush,  the  other 
from  Liddy  Ann  Collins. 

During  the  dreary  funeral  services,  the  women 
crowded  into  the  little  sitting-room  "to  see  how 
the  mourners  took  it,"  for  they  had  more  curi- 
osity than  sympathy.  The  men  found  seats  on  the 
top  of  the  garden  fence,  and  in  subdued  voices 
talked  of  their  spring  work,  and  speculated  as 
to  when  the  draft  would  begin,  and  who  would  be 
the  poUing  officer  in  Honey  Creek  Township,  till 
the  discussion  grew  so  heated  they  lost  sight  of  the 
occasion;  the  mention  of  the  draft  in  Riffle  or 


MRS.  WHITTAKER  VINDICATED  75 

Honey  Creek  townships  was  like  shaking  a  red  rag 
before  a  bull. 

It  was  a  relief  to  Lucetta's  sensitive  nature 
when  the  clay  effigy  of  what  had  been  her  lifelong 
care  was  laid  away  forever,  —  when  the  feast  was 
eaten  and  these  unwelcome  guests  were  gone. 

Her  only  comfort  had  been  found  in  the  kind- 
ness of  Miss  Abbot  during  all  these  trying  hours ; 
her  after-impression  of  the  time  was  one  of  painful 
confusion. 

The  day  following  the  funeral  Lucetta  keenly 
realized  her  loss,  as  she  went  about  the  task  of  re- 
storing order  to  the  house.  One  by  one  she  emp- 
tied the  bottles  of  nostrums,  —  the  kettle  of  bone- 
set  tea  that  had  been  forgotten,  the  jug  of  bitters 
by  the  hearth,  —  and  often  in  imagination  heard 
the  querulous  voice  calling  her  to  do  some  needless 
errand.  She  started  at  the  emptiness  of  the  deep, 
wooden  rocking-chair,  as  if  she  saw  a  shrunken, 
ghostly  form  among  its  pillows.  Her  day  of  servi- 
tude was  over ;  the  work  of  her  hands  and  heart 
was  taken  from  her. 

But  who  can  measure  her  debt  to  that  feeble 
mother,  or  know  how  greatly  she  was  beholden  to 
her  for  the  development  of  the  virtues  of  patience 
and  self-sacrifice,  endurance  and  courage,  and  for 
the  self-reliance  which  was  afterward  so  painfully 
tested  ?  Even  her  love  of  knowledge,  cramped  by 
circumstance,  sprang  into  lustier  life  because  of 
enforced  restraint. 

Lucetta's  was  one  of  those  minds  that  seem  the 


76  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

florescence  of  a  commonplace  race.  Long  denied 
the  opportunity  for  improvement  and  culture,  she 
had  already  reached  the  time  when  her  intellect 
demanded  more  than  it  could  obtain  in  her  present 
mode  of  life.  Then  fortune  sent  her  the  plain, 
homely  spinster  school-teacher.  In  her  Lucetta 
found  the  friend  she  needed,  and  for  two  troubled 
winters  she  had  studied  with  her  so  faithfully  that 
she  had  reached  with  infinite  difficulty  the 'heights 
of  Parnassus  where  algebra  and  history  dwelt,  to 
the  awe  and  disapproval  of  the  neighbors.  They 
regarded  such  ambition  in  "  weemen "  as  sinful, 
and  indulged  in  spiteful  and  slighting  speeches 
concerning  her  audacious  aspirations,  while  feeling 
a  secret  pride  in  her  success  as  reflecting  credit 
on  them  locally.  But  Mrs.  Bowles  had  recognized 
something  different  in  her  from  the  girls  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  had  said  :  — 

"  You  need  n't  talk !  you  can't  balk  Nature ! 
The  girl 's  got  it  in  her  and  it 's  bound  to  come 
out,  like  the  measles,  or  kill  her.  But  where  she 
gets  it  from  I  can't  see,  with  such  folks  !  It 's  like 
goin'  to  a  goat's  house  for  wool !  " 

On  Monday  night  following  the  funeral,  when 
Miss  Abbot  came  to  her  and  asked  her  to  take 
her  to  board,  she  did  a  kinder  thing  even  than  she 
had  intended,  and  took  down  the  first  rail  in  the 
"  gap "  that  led  Lucetta  out  from  the  barren 
ground  of  her  old  existence  into  the  broad,  fertile 
fields  of  the  new. 

Life  is  a  series  of  adjustments  to  varying  condi- 


MRS.  WHITTAKER  VINDICATED  77 

tions.  Lucetta  gladly  consented,  and  the  next  day 
the  cabinet  organ  found  a  place  in  the  living-room, 
the  schoolmistress  was  put  into  possession  of  the 
"spare-room"  end  of  the  little  long  bedroom,  and 
the  new  life  had  begun. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  POLLING   OFFICER 

Two  days  after  Mrs.  Whittaker's  funeral,  it  was 
known  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  township  that 
polling  for  the  draft  had  begun,  in  compliance 
with  the  call  of  the  President  for  300,000  men.  It 
had  been  an  inevitable  measure,  which  was  required 
to  fill  the  places  of  those  whose  term  of  enlistment 
had  exjiired.  In  some  sections  of  Indiana,  the 
spirit  of  opposition  to  the  draft  was  so  strong  that 
only  a  leader  was  needed  to  organize  the  malcon- 
tents and  encourage  them  to  break  into  open  vio- 
lence ;  failing  which,  individuals  wreaked  it  on  the 
man  appointed  to  the  dangerous  work  of  polling. 
Nowhere  was  this  spii'it  more  bitter  than  in  Riffle 
and  Honey  Creek  townshiijs,  which  lay  adjacent, 
and  whose  eligible  loyal  men  were  already  in  the 
service.  Those  in  authority  in  the  county  were 
perfectly  aware  of  the  fact,  and  for  that  reason, 
when  the  officer  started  on  his  rounds,  very  few  in 
Riffle  Township  knew  who  had  been  selected  for 
the  dangerous  mission.  In  the  month  he  had  been 
at  home,  Frank  had  not  sufficiently  recovered  from 
the  hardships  of  Andersonville  to  rejoin  his  regi- 
ment, and,  at  his  earnest  solicitation,  he  had  been 


THE  POLLING  OFFICER  79 

given  tlie  appointment  of  polling  officer  for  these 
two  disaffected  townships. 

When  rumors  of  a  draft  settled  into  a  certainty, 
its  opponents  throughout  the  State  were  roused  to 
frenzy :  secret  meetings  of  the  Knights  and  their 
sympathizers  were  held,  and  a  call  was  made  for  a 
convention  at  the  capital,  ostensibly  in  the  name  of 
the  Democratic  party ;  in  reality,  by  the  Knights  of 
the  Golden  Circle.  Harv  Wilson  and  Jake  Zer- 
fus,  who  had  represented  respectively  the  Temples 
in  Honey  Creek  and  Riffle  townships,  had  not  yet 
reported  the  ludicrous  outcome  of  this  convention, 
which  was  put  to  rout  in  the  midst  of  seditious 
utterances,  insidious  boasts,  and  malignant  threats, 
which  had  been  made  possible  by  the  acts  of  a 
Supreme  Court  that  had  hampered  the  governor  in 
every  way  known  to  legal  chicanery  and  personal 
opposition.  Nor  had  this  retired  community  yet 
read  of  the  battle  of  Pogue's  Run,  that  farcical  and 
bloodless  engagement  wherein  those  Knights,  who 
had  not  fled  in  a  panic,  surrendered  to  a  company 
of  volunteers  all  the  arms  they  had  not  hidden 
in  the  women's  skirts,  or  thrown  into  the  classic 
"  Run." 

It  was  known  in  every  Temple  of  the  State, 
however,  that  their  idol,  Vallandigham,  had  been 
ignominiously  sent  through  the  lines,  and  that  the 
secessionists  had  repudiated  him,  so  that  he  had 
retreated  to  the  protecting  soil  of  Canada,  there  to 
send  out  his  manifestoes  as  Supreme  Commander, 
and,  there  unmolested,  to  work  out  his  schemes. 


80  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

It  was  a  lovely  morning  in  early  June,  —  the 
wheat  was  beginning  to  head ;  the  corn,  which  had 
been  planted  earliest,  was  already  peeping  up  in 
small,  sharp  blades ;  the  grass  in  the  fence  corners 
was  so  high  it  would  have  furnished  a  snug  covert 
for  little  boys  playing  at  hide-and-seek,  were  such 
impious  pranks  permitted  in  the  fields. 

Abner  Neal's  cornfield,  a  goodly  one  of  forty 
acres,  lay  beside  a  wheat-field  nearly  as  large ; 
both  stretched  from  the  Crofton  road  almost  to  the 
creek.  The  Neal  home-farm  was  a  tract  of  three 
hundred  acres,  and  the  house  lay  to  the  northeast 
of  these  fields  ;  one  corner  of  it  was  cut  across  by 
the  Honey  Creek,  on  which  stood  the  Whittaker 
cabin,  which  could  also  be  seen  from  this  point. 
When  a  canoe  could  not  be  used,  the  people  took 
to  the  foot-paths  through  the  fields,  which,  like  the 
British  yeomanry,  they  considered  as  much  theirs 
as  the  highway  itself,  and  no  one  ever  questioned 
their  right  to  use  them.  They  were  left  open  to 
the  public,  like  the  English  by-paths,  by  right  of 
long  holding,  and  many  of  them  were  the  original 
Indian  trails.  Such  a  path  ran  along  the  border 
of  the  Neal  cornfield  through  the  wheat-field  to 
the  house.  Of  late  it  was  seldom  trodden,  for 
political  differences  had  raised  bitter  rancor  among 
neighbors.  As  the  Neals  were  outspoken  Union- 
ists, and  nearly  every  one  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
opposite  creed  politically,  they  were  not  visited, 
except  by  a  few  "  War  Democrats,"  who  were 
hated  as  renegades,  even  more  than  the  Unionists, 


THE  POLLING  OFFICER  81 

by  the  third  and  stronger  party,  called  "  Butter- 
nuts "  or  "  Copperheads."  These  last,  by  reason 
of  their  superior  numbers,  and  the  machinations  of 
such  men  as  Harv  Wilson,  had  grown  bold  and 
insolent,  and  openly  made  coarse  and  malignant 
threats.  The  results  of  this  malevolence  were  to 
bring  the  small  remnant  of  Union  men  and  War 
Democrats  into  closer  affiliation  for  mutual  help 
and  protection  if  need  be,  and  the  organization  of 
the  Home  Guard. 

Frank  had  set  out  early  on  his  rounds,  and  found 
angry  or  dispirited  groups  discussing  the  polling, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  get  names  of  eligible  men 
under  such  conditions. 

It  was  not  without  serious  misgivings  that 
Frank's  parents  had  seen  him  begin  the  work  of 
enrollment,  for  they  knew  the  temper  of  their 
neighbors  better  than  he,  and  dreaded  something 
worse  than  insult.  He,  however,  felt  no  fear,  for 
he  was  a  daring,  reckless  fellow,  and  familiarity 
with  real  danger  made  him  contemptuous  of  their 
threats.  He  forgot  that  the  foe  in  ambush  is  dead- 
lier than  an  open  enemy.  He  trusted  to  the  fact 
that  he  had  been  reared  among  them  to  save  him 
from  personal  violence.  But  in  any  case  he  had 
resolved  to  do  his  whole  duty,  —  a  lesson  he  had 
learned  on  battle-fields,  on  long  marches,  and  in 
camp. 

It  can  hardly  be  said  that  Frank  had  been  ac- 
tuated by  the  highest  patriotism  when  he  had 
enlisted  the  day  after  his  graduation.     A  whirl  of 


82  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

excitement  had  swept  over  the  college,  and  nearly 
depleted  it.  One  of  Frank's  classmates  had  raised 
a  company,  and  the  entire  senior  class  had  dis- 
tinguished itself  on  Commencement  Day  by  laying 
aside  the  diploma  and  taking  up  the  musket. 

Frank  had  gone  into  the  war  thinking  it  a  matter 
of  a  few  months,  as  did  most  raw  recruits  on  both 
sides.  Vainglorious,  self-confident,  chafing  under 
restraint  of  the  authority  of  his  superior  officer, 
who  was  his  college  chum,  he  longed  to  burst  into 
the  fray  undisciplined  by  drill,  certain  of  victory, 
—  forgetting  that  his  foe  was  of  the  same  blood, 
the  same  mind,  the  same  desires,  though  not  of  a 
common  cause.  Long  months  of  discouragement 
and  defeat  had  taught  him  at  length  a  soldier's 
duty ;  he  had  learned  thoroughly  the  hardships  of 
war.  With  two  years'  service  had  come  a  full 
realization  of  all  that  the  nation  had  at  stake,  and 
how  fierce  would  be  the  struggle  to  save  it.  En- 
thusiasm yielded  to  a  stubborn  determination  to 
conquer  or  die,  — "  to  fight  to  the  last  ditch," 
with  that  dogged  persistence  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
which  never  lets  him  know  when  he  is  beaten ;  a 
spirit  which  prolonged  the  struggle  between  the 
opposing  armies  of  the  same  race  in  the  Civil  War. 

On  a  gentle  slope  in  the  road  running  beside 
Abner  Neal's  cornfield,  three  coffee-nut  trees  tow- 
ered like  campaniles  capped  with  belfries  of  flut- 
tering greenery,  where  the  oriole  swung  its  nest 
and  played  at  bell-ringer,  and  the  rain-crow  tolled 
its  solemn  note  before  a  storm.     These  noble  trees 


THE  POLLING  OFFICER  83 

had  been  exiled  from  the  woods,  gashed  by  hollows 
and  dark  with  coppice,  that  skirted  the  opposite 
side  of  the  road.  Their  feathery  tops  cast  a  circle 
of  shade  many  feet  to  the  westward,  but  gave  little 
shelter  to  a  small  group  of  men  gathered  there, 
talking  eagerly  together,  and  with  some  heat,  as 
was  shown  by  their  disturbed  countenances.  At 
the  far  end  of  the  cornfield,  Abner  Neal's  farm- 
hand, Sam  Truax,  was  starting  in  on  his  third  fur- 
row ;  early  as  it  was,  he  had  already  crossed  the 
field  and  back  again.  Not  far  from  him  stood 
Abner  Neal  himself,  leaning  over  the  fence  inspect- 
ing his  wheat,  which  was  heading,  and  speculating 
how  soon  he  would  be  able  to  cut  it.  Both  were 
within  calling  distance  of  the  road,  but  out  of  sight 
of  it  owing  to  the  rolling  nature  of  the  field.  Two 
or  three  rods  down  the  furrow  would  bring  Sam  to 
the  top  of  the  rise,  and  into  full  view  of  the  men 
on  the  road. 

Along  this  field-path  Lucetta  was  walking,  com- 
ing from  Neal's,  where  she  had  gone  to  return  the 
table-cloth  ;  for  the  neighbors  who  had  taken  the 
liberty,  without  consulting  her,  to  borrow  many 
things  to  grace  the  funeral  feast,  had  not  been 
equally  ready  to  return  them.  The  men  under  the 
coffee-nut  trees  were  Jim  Swazey,  Mick  Gavin 
(who  owned  thirty  acres  of  bottom-land  adjoining 
Neal's,  and  the  rough  wood-lot  at  hand),  and  Dan 
Cruze,  a  farmer  who  lived  on  Buck  Creek.  They 
were  looking  down  the  road,  and  their  backs  were 
toward  Lucetta,  so  that  they  were  not  aware  of 


84  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

her  presence.  Nearly  the  length  of  the  field  lay- 
between  her  and  Sam  Truax  and  Abner  Neal.  As 
she  was  about  to  climb  the  fence  separating  her 
from  the  road,  she  caught  sight  of  a  figure  coming 
toward  them,  which  the  men  were  watching,  and 
she  heard  Jim  Swazey  say  vindictively :  — 

"  You  've  got  to  get  that  book  away  from  him  if 
you  have  to  kill  him.     Them  's  Harv's  orders." 

Lucetta  dropped  into  the  fence  corner  and 
waited,  in  a  quandary,  not  knowing  what  she 
should  do. 

"  We  don't  want  to  do  no  violence,  young  fel- 
ler," said  Cruze  to  Jim,  "  but  we  've  got  to  have 
that  book  and  no  mistake." 

"  I  'm  not  carin'  how  you  get  it,  boys,"  said  Jim, 
his  malignant  eyes  fastened  on  the  man  approach- 
ing ;  "  one  damned  black  abolitionist  more  sent  to 
hell  don't  matter  much." 

As  he  spoke  he  drew  a  revolver  from  the  inside 
pocket  of  his  coat,  snapped  the  trigger  suggestively, 
and  after  fitting  a  cap  replaced  it  half-cocked.  By 
this  time  the  man  was  within  hailing  distance,  and 
Swazey  recognized  him.  Rankling  under  the  in- 
sult at  church,  he  said :  — 

"  By  heaven,  it 's  that  damned  '  Lincoln  dog ' ! 
If  you  weaken,  I  '11  do  the  job  myself." 

Lucetta  heard  this  speech  plainly,  and  was 
shaken  with  fear,  but  not  for  herself.  True  to  her 
long  training,  the  tremor  of  fright  passed,  she  cast 
about  for  the  help  which  she  realized  she  herself 
was  powerless  to  give,  and  recalled  having  seen 


THE  POLLING  OFFICER  85 

Abner  Neal  and  Sam  Truax  across  the  field.  The 
fence  afforded  her  covert,  and  she  ran  half  its 
length,  then  crawled  on  hands  and  knees  down  the 
furrow  below  the  dip  tiU  out  of  sight,  when  she 
sped  fleetly  over  the  rough  ground  and  reached 
Neal,  to  whom  she  gasped  out  her  story.  He  said 
nothing  to  her,  but  called  to  Sam  that  Frank  was 
in  danger,  told  him  to  follow,  and  rushed  to  the 
rescue.  Sam  quickly  unfastened  the  chain  traces 
to  loose  the  plough  and  sprang  on  the  horse's  back, 
Lucetta,  meantime,  explaining  the  situation. 

"I'm  a  Democrat,  but  I'll  be  everlastingly 
blasted  if  I  '11  see  murder  done  !  "  cried  Sam. 

Diffffinsf  his  heels  into  the  horse's  sides,  and 
lashing  him  with  the  lines,  the  next  instant  he  was 
racing  madly  down  the  furrows,  with  the  chain 
traces  jangling  and  showers  of  earth  spurned  from 
the  horse's  flying  hoofs. 

Frank  had  reached  the  group  by  the  roadside. 
He  wore  his  uniform,  and,  as  he  paused,  pushed 
back  his  cap  to  wipe  the  sweat  from  his  forehead, 
still  pale  and  hollow  at  the  temples  from  his  three 
months'  imprisonment. 

Gavin  stepped  close  to  him,  and  without  any 
preliminary  greeting  said  :  — 

"  We  want  that  book,  man,  and  by  the  Holy 
Saints  we  're  goin'  to  have  it !  We  want  it  peace- 
able loike,  ye  understhan'.  So  give  ut  over,  will 
yez?" 

Frank  made  no  reply,  but  squeezed  the  poll-book 
tight  under  his  left  arm,  and  leaned  against  the 


86  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

fence,  searching  warily  for  a  loose  rail ;  for  he  was 
without  other  weapon  than  the  slender  stick  he 
had  used  for  a  staff,  not  thinking  it  necessary  to 
arm  himself  against  his  own  neighbors. 

Cruze  stepped  forward  twirling  a  green  oak  club 
which  he  had  cut  for  a  weapon. 

"  Yes,  we  've  got  to  have  it,  and  if  you  don't 
give  it  up  quietly  we  '11  take  it !  "  he  said. 

Cruze  was  afraid  to  seize  the  book,  but  still  more 
afraid  not  to  make  some  sort  of  an  attempt  to  ob- 
tain it,  terrorized  by  the  threats  of  Harv  Wilson, 
who,  by  virtue  of  his  power  as  Commander  of 
their  Temple,  had  appointed  him  to  this  task. 

"  I  'm  sorry  I  can't  oblige  you,"  said  Frank,  with 
provoking  suavity.  "  It  is  n't  mine,  —  belongs  to 
Oliver  Perry  Morton.  Perhaps  you've  heard  of 
him?  If  you  haven't,  you  will.  He  only  lent 
it  to  me  for  a  while,  and  I  'm  expected  to  return 
it  in  good  order,  and  "  —  with  a  change  from  his 
bantering  tone,  —  "I  fully  intend  to  do  so." 

He  pressed  the  book  closer  and  twirled  his  stick 
carelessly  as  he  coolly  scanned  the  three  irate  faces 
before  him,  with  an  expression  that  warned  while 
it  defied  them. 

The  Irishman's  countenance  expressed  admira- 
tion for  his  pluck ;  the  farmer's,  ludicrous  helpless- 
ness ;  and  Swazey's,  murderous  rage. 

"Men,"  said  Frank,  in  a  calm,  even  voice,  "if 
you  get  this  book  it  will  be  from  my  dead  body !  " 

There  was  no  bravado  in  words  or  manner ;  no- 
thing but  an  earnestness  that  carried  conviction. 


THE  POLLING  OFFICER  87 

An  instant  of  profound  silence  followed,  during 
which,  had  they  given  it  attention,  a  jingling  sound 
could  have  been  heard.  Then  Swazey,  raging  like 
a  mad  beast,  with  fearful  oaths,  screamed  stri- 
dently :  — 

"  I  '11  have  it,  or  I  '11  skin  the  hide  off  of  you 
and  hang  it  on  the  fence !  " 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  Frank  coolly,  with  simulated 
affability,  "  I  've  got  that  article  with  me  right  now, 
and  I  '11  take  great  pleasure  —  in  shooting  you,"  — 
and  he  paused  sufficiently  to  emphasize  his  con- 
tempt—  "  in  the  back !  " 

"  Holy  Mother,  there  '11  be  murther  done !  " 
screamed  the  Irishman,  as  Swazey,  goaded  and  en- 
raged beyond  endurance,  reached  for  his  revolver. 
Before  he  could  draw  it,  there  was  a  frightful  crash 
and  a  horse  plunged  through  the  fence,  scattering 
the  rails,  and  the  next  instant  trampling  the  mur- 
derous ruffian  under  his  feet  before  Sam  could 
pull  up. 

The  other  two  men,  fearing  arrest,  vanished  like 
spirits  into  the  wood,  and  were  soon  lost  in  the 
underbrush. 

After  Lucetta  had  made  sure  of  Frank's  safety, 
she  took  another  way  home,  that  his  enemies  might 
not  know  of  her  share  in  bringing  him  help. 


CHAPTER  XI 

OVERHEAKD 

Tkroughout  the  remainder  of  the  day,  during 
the  solitary  hours  which  followed,  Lucetta,  having 
recovered  from  her  agitation,  thought  over  the 
affair,  and  wisely  resolved  to  say  nothing  of  the 
attempted  assault  on  Frank.  She  was  beginning 
to  realize  that  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  become  an 
object  of  suspicion  and  persecution  in  that  locality, 
and  it  was  not  difficult  for  her  to  keejj  it  a  secret, 
since  she  was  unused  to  making  confidences.  Such 
disclosures  are  largely  a  matter  of  habit,  and  are 
the  effort  of  a  weak  nature  to  throw  off  burdens 
which  a  lax  mind,  like  flaccid  muscles,  refuses  to 
bear. 

Lucetta  had  instinctively  kept  her  thoughts  and 
aspirations  to  herself,  as  a  matter  of  no  moment 
to  her  mother,  whose  interests  had  centred  in  her 
ailments  to  the  exclusion  of  everything  else ;  and 
she  knew  they  were  above  the  sympathetic  com- 
prehension of  her  father.  In  this  respect  she  was 
one  of  "  the  solitary  set  in  families."  Suppression 
was  her  lifelong  habit,  and  she  now  hid  in  her  in- 
most heart  the  feelings  of  relief  and  thankfulness 
she  felt  at  being  able  to  help  Frank,  even  conceal- 


OVERHEARD  89 

ing  from  herself  the  fact  that  she  had  been  the 
instrument  to  deliver  him,  perhaps,  from  great 
danger. 

For  the  next  day  or  two  thereafter,  she  busied 
herself  with  readjusting  her  household  on  the  new 
footing;  and  Zeb  employed  himself  in  desultory 
ploughing  in  the  sterile  field. 

But  on  the  following  Friday  her  father  did  not 
appear  at  their  early  dinner,  much  to  Lucetta's 
surprise,  for  he  usually  came  at  that  hour  as  faith- 
fully as  the  clock-hand  on  the  dial.  His  alacrity 
in  this  matter  was  equaled  only  by  that  of  his  two 
dogs,  —  Bose,  a  lank,  black  hound,  and  Dandy, 
a  tyrannizing  spaniel,  which  made  the  big  dog 
wretched  by  petty  bickerings  that  he  could  not  in 
honor  resent.  The  situation  between  these  ani- 
mals was  much  like  that  between  a  big,  patient 
man  and  his  small,  shrewish  wife ;  and  it  was 
touching  to  see  the  gentle  submission  of  Bose  to 
the  caprices  of  Dandy,  and  his  gratitude  for  any 
condescending  favor  from  him,  as  that,  for  in- 
stance, of  resigning  the  "  clabber  "  trough  when 
he  (Dandy)  had  no  appetite  for  it.  On  this  day 
they  came  in  from  the  field  panting  from  the 
exertion  of  rabbit-coursing,  and  crestfallen  from 
having  been  ordered  to  the  house ;  but  no  master 
came  with  them. 

The  schoolmistress  carried  her  dinner  with  her, 
as  it  was  too  far  for  her  to  walk  to  and  from  the 
schoolhouse  at  noon.  And,  moreover,  it  was  an 
unwritten  law  that  the  teacher  should  stand  sen- 


90  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

tinel  over  her  pupils  during  the  nooning ;  other- 
wise the  building  might  suffer  in  the  riots  that 
would  surely  follow  in  her  absence. 

At  five  o'clock  Miss  Abbot  came  from  school, 
while  Lucetta  was  busy  getting  supper,  and  before 
the  meal  was  ready  Zeb,  too,  came  slouching  in. 
Not  a  stroke  of  work  had  he  done  that  afternoon, 
for  Lucetta  had  walked  to  the  top  of  the  field  and 
had  seen  the  plough  standing  in  the  furrow,  and 
the  horse  was  gone  as  well  as  the  master. 

"  Why  did  n't  you  come  to  dinner,  pappy  ?  " 
asked  Lucetta. 

"  Had  to  go  to  the  blacksmith  shop,"  he  an- 
swered. 

Then  Lucetta  knew  that  he  had  probably  heard 
of  Frank's  trouble,  for  the  shop  was  the  point  from 
which  all  the  neighborhood  gossip  disseminated, 
and  it  required  more  than  nine  days  to  wear  out 
so  rich  a  theme.  She  waited  in  some  anxiety  to 
learn  if  he  knew  of  the  part  she  had  taken  in  it, 
but  with  his  usual  reticence  he  told  her  nothing. 

For  some  time  after  the  meal,  he  sat  over  the  hot 
ashes  in  the  fireplace,  —  where,  from  long  usage 
not  yet  affected  by  Mrs.  Whittaker's  death,  a  log 
still  smouldered,  —  smoking  his  cob  pipe,  and  puff- 
ing the  smoke  up  the  wide  throat  of  the  chimney. 
On  his  vacant  face  there  was  as  much  distress  as 
it  was  capable  of  expressing,  and  deep  trouble  lay 
in  the  murky  eyes.  Before  Lucetta  had  finished 
her  evening  chores,  he  took  his  cap  from  its  peg 
and  stole  away  again  without  excuse. 


OVERHEARD  91 

Lucetta  threw  a  few  chips  on  the  fire  and  tidily 
brushed  the  hearth  with  a  turkey  wing,  as  the  last 
task  for  the  evenhig.  When  she  turned  to  hang 
the  wing  up  in  the  chimney-corner,  she  saw  Mrs. 
Rush's  black  shawl,  neatly  folded,  lying  on  the 
chest  near  by. 

"  Oh,  there  's  Mrs.  Rush's  shawl.  I  must  take 
it  home  to-night.  I  '11  be  too  busy  to-morrow, 
and  she  '11  need  it  Sunday,  as  there 's  meeting 
at  'Liberty.'  Do  you  want  to  go,  too,  Miss 
Abbot?" 

It  was  a  black  challis  shawl  of  light  weight, 
which  showed  a  ghostly  pattern  of  the  original 
florid  design,  in  spite  of  its  dip  into  the  dye-ket- 
tle ;  it  was  considered  an  indispensable  article  of 
toilet  for  public  occasions,  and  no  matron  was  ever 
seen  abroad  without  one  in  that  neighorhood. 

In  reply  to  Lucetta's  invitation.  Miss  Abbot 
said  :  — 

"  Not  to-night,  Lucetta.  I  've  had  rather  a  hard 
day  in  school ;  I  'm  truly  glad  it 's  out  next  week. 
I  '11  sit  by  the  fire  for  a  little  while,  then  I  '11  go 
to  bed." 

The  evening  was  chill  from  the  heavy  mist  that 
rose  from  the  creek,  and  the  cheerful  crackle  of 
the  flames  and  the  pungent  odor  of  the  sap  stewing 
from  the  handful  of  green  chips  were  pleasant  to 
this  lonely  woman,  and  the  homely  but  tidy  cabin 
was  the  most  cheerful  refuge  she  had  known  for 
many  a  day.  A  restful  tarrying  by  this  quiet 
hearth    seemed  a  most   desirable  good,  and  she 


92  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

declined  the  visit,  well  knowing  Lucetta  did  not 
fear  to  go  alone  the  short  distance  between  the 
two  houses. 

Lucetta  herself  was  not  sorry  to  have  a  solitary- 
walk,  and  she  set  out  by  a  short  cut  across  the 
fields. 

The  sun  was  just  sinking,  and  as  it  reached  the 
horizon  it  seemed  to  drop  with  incredible  swiftness 
from  the  rim  of  the  earth,  and,  even  while  she 
gazed,  it  shot  like  a  plummet  down  through  un- 
knowable spaces,  leaving  an  interval  of  faltering 
light  from  the  afterglow  that  flickered  and  faded 
into  gray  twilight,  then  suddenly  gave  place  to 
the  darkness  of  a  starlit  night.  As  often  happens 
after  sundown,  a  wind  sprang  up,  as  if  speeding 
the  parting  guest,  which  set  the  tops  of  the  high 
trees  in  motion,  and  sent  the  clouds  racing  like 
white-caps  on  an  overhead  sea.  Then  the  stars 
went  out  like  candles  at  a  puff  of  breath,  and 
before  Lucetta  reached  the  field  behind  the  shop  it 
was  quite  dark  and  threatened  rain.  A  heavy  gate, 
fastened  by  a  hook  to  the  corner  of  the  shop,  led 
into  the  road,  and  the  rear  of  the  building  served 
in  place  of  the  missing  sections  of  fence.  As 
Lucetta  paused  to  lift  the  hook,  she  at  once 
became  aware  of  voices  inside  the  shop ;  words 
reached  her,  and  of  such  purport  that,  when  she 
had  grasped  their  meaning,  she  was  filled  with 
terror. 

"  Yes,  he  '11  be  put  out  of  the  way  to-morrow 
night,  the  damned  black  abolitionist !     He  '11  not 


OVERHEARD  93 

get  a  chance  to  do  any  more  of  his  cursed  spying 
this  side  of  hell !  " 

It  was  one  of  those  booming  bass  voices  that 
cannot  be  subdued,  and  it  carried  far  in  the  still- 
ness of  the  evening.  In  the  reply  she  recognized 
Jim  Swazey's  tones,  but  so  indistinct  was  his 
speech  she  could  not  catch  his  meaning. 

"  You  don't  think  the  white-livered  hound  '11 
weaken  when  it  comes  to  the  pinch? "  asked  Jim's 
companion. 

Swazey  uttered  a  cruel  laugh,  and  spoke  louder 
in  his  savage  excitement. 

"  He  knows  he  can't.  It  's  as  much  as  his 
hide  's  worth.  Cuss  his  worthless  carcass !  We  've 
had  a  hell  of  a  time  with  him  anyway !  But 
we  've  made  him  understand  he  's  between  the 
Devil  and  the  deep  sea,  with  chances  in  favor  of 
the  Devil."  And  he  concluded  with  a  string  of 
fierce  oaths. 

"  'T  would  n't  be  much  loss  to  us,  nor  gain  to 
the  Old  Nick.  Why,  he 's  so  infernal  lazy  he  'd 
let  a  cat  pull  him  away  from  his  own  fireplace,  and 
would  n't  do  nothin',"  said  the  other  man,  and  he 
laughed  at  his  own  joke,  Swazey  joining  in. 

"  He  '11  do  the  job  !  "  declared  Swazey.  "  You 
bet !  He  '11  have  to.  There  '11  be  some  there 
that  '11  see  to  it.  It 's  either  Abner  Neal's  life  or 
his,  and  he  knows  it  pretty  well.  I  've  had  to  lay 
low  ever  since  the  row,  and  he  's  had  Gavin  and 
Cruze  both  put  in  jail  at  Crofton." 

Lucetta,  screened  by  the  big  gate,  with  infinite 


94  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

relief  heard  them  come  out  and  close  the  door, 
and,  after  a  moment's  parleying,  walk  off  down 
the  road. 

She  was  aware  that  the  feeling  against  the  war 
and  the  draft  was  bitter  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
that  the  resident  abolitionists  were  hated,  but  she 
did  not  know  the  lengths  to  which  the  feeling 
had  gone,  —  the  secret  organizations  that  had  been 
formed,  with  their  plots  for  assassination  and  arson. 
She  knew  of  the  existence  of  such  societies  in  other 
parts  of  the  State,  and  in  Ohio  and  Illinois.  In 
the  past  week,  she  had  read  in  the  school-teacher's 
weekly  "  Tribune "  of  the  great  danger  which 
threatened  the  whole  State  of  Indiana,  that  im- 
peached its  loyalty  and  harassed  the  great  war 
governor.  With  a  flash  of  woman's  quick  intui- 
tion, worth  in  a  crisis  whole  days  of  slow  reasoning, 
she  put  the  facts  together,  and  knew  that  the  thing 
caUed  treason  confronted  her  in  the  despicable 
guise  of  assassination.  What  was  the  measure 
of  her  responsibility  ?  Could  she,  without  blood- 
guiltiness,  let  the  innocent  suffer  ?  Would  she  not 
be  an  accessory  to  murder  if  she  did  not  prevent 
it  ?     But  how  ? 

She  waited  until  the  sound  of  footsteps  had 
ceased,  and  during  the  interval  took  her  resolu- 
tion. Her  self-dependence  and  habits  of  prompti- 
tude helped  her  to  decide  what  was  her  duty,  and, 
after  she  had  settled  it  with  her  own  conscience, 
she  no  more  thought  of  shirking  it  than  of  snuffing 
out  the  solitary  star  that  shone  amid  the  clouds 


OVERHEARD  95 

above  her.  She  crossed  the  road,  climbed  the  gen- 
tle ascent  to  the  house,  and  knocked. 

Mrs.  Rush  opened  the  door,  candle  in  hand, 
raised  high  above  her  head.  She  peered  into 
Lucetta's  face  as  she  gave  her  the  shawl  with  words 
of  thanks,  and  exclaimed  boisterously,  in  her  sur- 
prise :  — 

"  Why,  Lucetty,  —  whatever  possessed  you  to 
bring  that  shawl  home  this  time  o  'night  ?  It 's 
nigh  half  past  eight !  There  was  n't  no  sense  in 
it  at  all !  " 

"  I  have  so  much  to  do  to-morrow,  I  could  n't 
fetch  it  then,  and  I  was  afraid  you  might  want  it 
Sunday." 

"  Come  right  in  and  sit  down  and  rest  yourself. 
I  know  you  're  tired,  and  you  look  that  pale,  and 
you're  just  a-tremblin'  from  climbin'  that  hill," 
urged  Mrs.  Rush,  so  volubly  there  was  no  chance 
for  Lucetta  to  interject  a  refusal.  "  You  do  look 
bad,  now  I  see  you,"  and  Mrs.  Rush  held  the  flar- 
ing candle  in  the  girl's  face.  "  Come  in  for  a 
minute  anyway." 

"  No,  no  !  I  must  go  ;  Miss  Abbot 's  all  alone." 

"H — u — m — m — !  Your  pap  ain't  home, 
mebby?"  she  asked  with  that  seemingly  lifeless 
interest  that  betrays  a  very  vital  one,  for  Mrs. 
Rush  was  both  shrewd  and  suspicious,  and  "  knew 
a  heap  more  'n  the  men  an'  ol'  Miz  Bowles  thought 
she  did,"  as  she  had  confided  to  her  easy-going 
spouse.  But  she  was  really  kind  in  her  shallow 
way,    and   pitied  the  girl,  whose  confidence   she 


96  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

could  never  entirely  win,  a  fact  which  she  some- 
what resented. 

"  No,  he  is  not,"  Lucetta  answered.  "  Thank 
you  for  all  your  kindness,  Mrs.  Eush,  and  good- 
night.    I  must  go  now." 

"Well,  do  as  you  please,"  said  Mrs.  Rush 
shortly,  closing  the  door  as  Lucetta  turned  away. 


CHAPTER  Xn 

A  HEAKTH-STONE   HEROINE 

When  Lucetta  reached  home,  she  found  Miss 
Abbot  in  bed  in  her  corner  of  the  little  bedroom, 
sleeping  soundly,  worn  out  by  the  fatigues  of  a 
day  of  thankless  drudgery.  Zeb  had  come  home 
again  during  Lucetta's  absence  at  Mrs.  Rush's, 
and  was  sitting  in  silence  before  the  fire :  a  silence 
which  was  not,  as  formerly,  like  the  peaceful  rumi- 
nation of  an  ox,  but  now  suggested  the  dumb  mis- 
ery of  that  creature  under  the  cruel  goad.  He 
twisted  his  fingers  till  one  might  have  looked  for  the 
bones  to  snap  ;  his  feeble  mouth  twitched,  and  the 
loose  lips  puckered  like  a  child's  making  ready  to 
cry.  Then  he  would  start  up  and  leave  the  house, 
as  if  its  narrow  space  fretted  him  like  a  cell  in  a 
prison.  He  had  been  in  this  harassed,  nervous 
state  since  his  wife's  death,  and  Lucetta  thought 
it  only  a  manifestation  of  his  grief.  But  now  his 
trouble,  whatever  it  was,  seemed  to  have  reached 
a  climax.  His  attitude  and  the  expression  of  his 
pale  eyes  convinced  her  he  was  suffering  unbeara- 
ble anguish.  Her  own  anxiety  made  her  less  sym- 
pathetic than  usual.  She  feared  his  being  up  at 
this  hour  would  prove  fatal  to  the  expedition  she 


98  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

had  planned.     A  groan  burst  from  his  lips  that 
roused  her. 

"  What  is  it,  pappy  ?     Are  you  ailin'  ?  " 
He  shook   his  head  in  denial,  then  buried  his 
face  on  his  folded  arms  and  trembled,  imtil  she 
cried :  — 

"  Why,  pappy,  you  've  got  a  chill !  " 
"  No,  no,  girl !  Let  me  be,  can't  ye?  "  he  said 
querulously.  He  could  find  no  relief  in  expression, 
and  sat  the  picture  of  wretchedness.  At  last  Lu- 
cetta  in  despair  went  to  her  own  little  bed,  hoping 
that  he  would  soon  seek  his.  But  he  sat  till  the 
clock  struck  eleven ;  then  she  heard  him  lie  down 
with  inarticulate  murmurings  and  stifled  moaning. 
Almost  at  once  his  flaccid  nature  succumbed  to 
sleep,  worn  out  with  the  unwonted  stress  of  feel- 
ing. 

When  Lucetta  was  convinced,  by  his  regular 
breathing,  that  his  slumbers  were  sound,  she  arose, 
though  it  was  near  midnight,  to  carry  out  her  pur- 
pose, which  was  to  walk  to  Crofton  and  back  before 
morning,  a  journey  of  fourteen  miles,  in  order  to 
warn  the  sheriff  of  the  deed  that  menaced  the  life 
of  an  innocent  man.  She  had  decided  it  was  best 
to  leave  no  clue  that  would  involve  any  one  else, 
should  the  matter  leak  out;  walking  alone  was 
the  safest  way,  and  she  hoped  to  return  before  the 
household  was  astir  in  the  morning. 

Women  are  rarely  possessed  of  that  form  of 
courage  which  finds  vent  in  taking  up  arms  in  war 
or   in  savage  fighting.     They  are   not  ambitious 


A  HEARTH-STONE  HEROINE  99 

of  martial  glory.  Now  and  then,  an  heroic  spirit 
adorns  the  pages  of  history,  possessed  of  a  high 
design  which  leads  to  martyrdom  and  wins  immor- 
tality. 

But  these  hearth-stone  heroines,  — who  can  num- 
ber them !  They  sit  xmregarded  in  the  ashes,  like 
Cinderella,  yet  do  their  duty  as  unflinchingly  as 
the  soldier  at  the  front,  without  his  hope  of  glori- 
ous reward.  There  was  as  vast  an  army  of  them 
at  home  during  the  terrible  years  of  the  Civil  War 
as  of  men  in  the  field.  Their  blood  did  not  flow 
hot  as  on  the  fields  of  victory,  nor  grow  sluggish  in 
defeat,  but  fled  back  to  the  heart  in  the  anguish 
of  utter  loss.  Or  it  was  drained  slowly  from  over- 
tasked bodies  by  ministrations  in  hospitals  and  on 
battle-fields  after  the  combat,  or  wasted  away  in 
a  roimd  of  double  duties  at  home.  How  hard  it 
was  to  bear  their  part  was  revealed  in  the  blanched 
cheeks,  the  ashy  lips,  the  hair  whitened  before  its 
time,  the  eyes  burning  with  the  fires  of  anxiety 
or  dulled  by  floods  of  unavailing  tears,  of  those 
who  waited  and  watched  beside  the  hearth-stone. 
Action,  fierce  and  terrible,  is  not  so  deadly  as  this 
torturing  quiescence. 

Many  of  these  women  were  exalted  far  above 
the  ties  of  kinship  when  it  came  to  a  question  of 
duty  that  might  involve  the  sacrifice  of  the  liberty 
or  even  the  life  of  a  brother,  father,  or  husband 
for  the  good  of  the  nation.  This  lonely  spot  in 
Indiana  held  a  few  such  spirits,  in  whom  burned 
the  sacred  fire  of  patriotism,  —  women  so  himible 


100  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

that  opportunity  rarely  drew  aside  the  curtain  from 
the  shrine  and  let  it  shine  out  in  the  sight  of  men. 
Yet  how  faithfully  they  used  these  occasions,  how 
unfalteringly  they  decided  when  one  or  many  must 
suffer,  even  if  that  decision  but  lay  between  them 
and  their  own  conscience ! 

Without  a  moment's  hesitation  at  the  thought 
of  whom  it  might  implicate,  even  though  it  be  her 
own  father,  Lucetta  quietly  made  her  preparations 
for  the  long,  solitary  walk.  It  were  better  the 
designs  of  the  conspirators  were  frustrated  than 
that  murder  should  be  committed,  that  the  assassin, 
whoever  he  proved  to  be,  should  be  held  a  prisoner 
in  Crofton  jail,  than  that  Abner  Neal,  their  neigh- 
bor, friend,  and  benefactor,  their  stay  in  poverty 
and  sickness,  should  be  his  victim,  when  Providence 
had  put  it  into  her  power  alone  to  prevent  it. 

She  made  ready  so  quietly  that  Miss  Abbot  did 
not  stir,  and  slipped  into  the  sitting-room,  raised 
the  wooden  latch  to  the  outer  door,  pushed  the 
latch-string  through,  so  that  she  could  reenter  with- 
out disturbing  them,  and  took  the  lane  to  the  road, 
which  was  as  familiar  to  her  as  the  ravine  path, 
and  which,  three  miles  further  on,  entered  the  Crof- 
ton turnpike.  On  either  hand  lay  thick  woods 
broken  by  a  few  fields.  From  them  came  sounds 
of  night  life,  which  gave  her  no  disquiet ;  she  felt 
no  fear  but  that  her  mission  might  fail  through 
some  untoward  circumstance.  She  walked  rapidly, 
for  she  knew  the  return  could  be  made  more  slowly. 
"When  she  had  traveled  two  thirds  of  this  by-road, 


A  HEAKTH-STONE  HEROINE  101 

another  sound,  mingling  with  that  of  the  night 
insects,  filled  her  with  wild  alarm.  The  wind  had 
risen  and  a  pasping  shower  fell,  but  neither  wind 
nor  rain  roused  that  grisly  terror  which  almost 
held  her  feet  in  their  tracks.  It  was  that  direful 
cry  that  came,  faintly  but  distinctly,  from  far  and 
near : — 

"  O — a — k — houn  !  O — a — k — houn !  O — a — k 
— houn !  " 

Invisible  things  seemed  closing  about  her  like 
a  pack  of  wolves.  She  took  refuge  in  the  woods, 
and,  although  her  feet  felt  as  though  they  were 
shod  with  lead,  made  such  progress  that  before  she 
reached  the  turnpike  the  ominous  sounds  were  left 
behind.  On  the  highway  a  new  dread  seized  her, 
—  that  of  meeting  a  chance  traveler  who  might 
seek  to  detain  her  or  offer  her  insult.  Once,  dis- 
concerted by  the  rattle  of  wheels,  she  hid  till 
a  farm-wagon  passed  on.  The  wind  lashed  her 
clothing  and  twisted  it  around  her  body,  impeding 
her  steps,  and,  when  it  quieted,  a  drizzling  shower 
set  in  that  saturated  her  garments,  but  her  purpose 
never  faltered.  Her  heart  lightened  when,  after 
hours  as  it  seemed  to  her,  she  saw  afar  the  lights 
that  twinkled  around  the  court-house  clock,  and 
her  steps  quickened,  for  the  perilous  part  of  her 
journey  was  done. 

She  soon  reached  the  jail.  It  was  an  old-fash- 
ioned, two-story  brick  house,  with  a  spacious  hall 
in  the  middle  and  a  long  ell  at  the  rear,  and  it 
stood  on  a  corner  at  the  intersection  of  two  streets. 


102  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

The  part  that  was  exposed  on  two  sides  was  used 
as  a  residence  for  the  sheriff,  —  who  also  acted 
as  jailer,  —  and  the  other  was  the  prison  proper. 
The  building  was  but  two  rooms  deep,  the  rear  of 
which  was  divided  into  small  cells  for  refractory- 
prisoners  ;  the  front  one  was  a  general  assembly 
room,  where  they  ate  their  meals  and  stayed  dur- 
ing the  day,  and,  when  they  were  few,  slept  at 
night.  All  the  windows  on  this  side  of  the  house 
were  barred  and  crisscrossed  with  rods  of  iron. 
The  house  had  a  sandstone  foundation,  and  it 
would  have  been  an  easy  matter  to  remove  one  of 
those  big  blocks  for  the  escape  of  prisoners.  The 
hall  door  was  an  ordinary  one  of  oak,  but  those 
opening  into  the  prisoners'  cells  were  of  iron.  As 
a  prison,  the  building  was  far  from  secure  in  the 
best  of  times,  and,  now  that  it  held  as  inmates  Jeff 
Riddle,  the  deserter,  and  the  men  who  had  inter- 
fered with  the  polling  in  Eiffle  Township,  await- 
ing orders  from  Indianapolis,  it  was  guarded  day 
and  night.  That  very  morning,  Jeff's  affection- 
ate grand-aunt,  Mrs.  Bowles,  had  paid  him  a  visit. 
She  had  looked  at  him  through  the  bars,  and  he, 
expecting  sympathy,  wore  a  befitting  expression  of 
countenance,  when  she  burst  out  fiercely :  — 

"  Jeff  Riddle,  you  're  the  first  of  the  name  that 
ever  looked  through  the  bars.  And  hangin'  's  too 
good  for  you  for  'listin'  at  all.  You  always  was  a 
born  fool !  And  you  're  a  disgrace  to  your  blood 
and  raisin'." 

Jeff,  crestfallen,  had  turned  away  from  the  grat- 


A  HEARTH-STONE  HEROINE  103 

ing,  while  the  woman  stalked  off  without  another 
word  to  anybody,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the 
good-natured  sheriff. 

Lucetta  rapped  softly  at  the  hall  door,  and  at 
once  heard  a  window  raised  gently,  and  a  voice 
asking  softly :  — 

"  Is  that  you,  Billy  ?  Are  the  boys  coming  ? 
We  're  ready  for  'em." 

It  was  too  dark  to  see  the  face  of  the  speaker, 
who  grew  angry  and  swore  under  his  breath  when 
she  made  no  reply. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  the  white-livered  hounds 
have  failed  us  ?  " 

The  girl  suspected  that  some  enterprise  of  a 
serious  nature  was  on  foot,  and  knocked  again 
loudly.     A  voice  within  asked :  — 

"Who's  there?" 

"  A  friend,"  she  answered. 

"  Damn  it,  can't  you  tell  your  name  ?  "  said  the 
person  impatiently. 

"  No ;  please  don't  ask  it." 

"  Are  you  alone  ?  " 

"Yes." 

The  man  opened  the  door  a  narrow  space,  and, 
seeing  a  dim  outline,  reached  forth  a  brawny  hand, 
drew  her  inside  before  she  realized  it,  and  quickly 
shut  and  made  all  fast  again.  He  then  opened  the 
slide  of  the  dark  lantern,  and  threw  a  flood  of  light 
on  his  prisoner. 

"  By  heaven,  it 's  a  girl !  "  he  exclaimed.  In- 
stantly a  dozen  men  closed  about  them.     Surprise 


104  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

and  anxiety  were  depicted  on  their  faces,  but  nei- 
ther unkindness  nor  hostility. 

Now  the  suspense  was  relieved,  Lucetta  sank  on 
the  lower  steps  of  the  stairway,  and  faltered  out  to 
the  man  who  had  just  released  her :  — 

"You  are  Sheriff  Hale?" 

"Yes." 

"  I  have  come  to  warn  you  that  Saturday  night 
is  set  for  a  plot  against  Abner  Neal.  I  think 
they  're  going  to  kill  him." 

"  How  do  you  know  this,  girl  ?  " 

"  I  overheard  Jim  Swazey,  Alec  Rush's  hand, 
talking  to  some  one  about  it  in  the  blacksmith's 
shop  at  dusk  this  evening,  on  my  way  to  take  home 
Mrs.  Rush's  shawl,"  she  explained,  with  that  mi- 
nute attention  to  trifling  detail  common  in  rural 
folk ;  and  then  she  told  what  she  had  heard,  as 
nearly  as  she  could  remember  it. 

A  man  in  the  group  whispered  to  the  sheriff :  — 

"  It 's  Lucetta  Whittaker." 

"  Zeb's  girl  ?  "  asked  the  sheriff,  in  the  same  low 
tone. 

"Yes." 

"  You  did  n't  hear  the  name  of  the  man  who  was 
going  to  do  it?"  asked  the  sheriff,  turning  to  Lu- 
cetta. 

"  No,  they  mentioned  no  names." 

"  Well,  little  girl,  you  've  done  your  duty,"  said 
the  sheriff  kindly.  "  Now  you  need  rest  and  must 
go  to  bed.  You  're  not  afraid  to  stay  all  night 
in  the  jail,  I  reckon?  —  a  girl  like  you,"  seeing  a 
troubled  look  on  the  girl's  face. 


A  HEARTH-STONE  HEROINE  105 

"  No,  I  must  go  home,"  she  said  firmly.  "  No 
one  must  know  I  came." 

"  She  's  right,  Sheriff,"  said  one  of  the  men. 

"  She  might  rest  an  hour." 

There  was  the  snapping  of  a  watch-lid,  and  a 
finer,  smaller  hand  than  that  of  the  sheriff  held  a 
gold  watch  in  the  glare  of  the  bull's-eye. 

"Can't  be  done,"  said  the  man  who  held  it. 
"  It 's  time  now ;  five  minutes  of  two." 

There  was  a  subdued  shufiling  of  feet  and  the 
rinoqnoj  sound  of  metal.  The  sheriff  said  excit- 
edly :  — 

"  By  heaven,  we  've  not  three  minutes  to  get  her 
off.  Where 's  Jerry  ?  He  might  take  her  home 
on  horseback." 

Jerry  was  "  riding  bailiff,"  and  when  they  looked 
around  for  him  he  could  not  be  found. 

"  He 's  off  to  warn  'em,"  cried  one  voice. 

"He  was  here  when  the  girl  came  in,"  said 
another. 

The  men  looked  at  each  other  astounded,  for 
Jerry  had  been  a  participant  in  their  plans  ;  and  on 
the  dismayed  silence  that  followed,  a  metallic  soimd 
broke  dully  twice. 

"By  heaven,  they're  at  it!  To  your  places, 
boys ! "  was  the  low  command  of  the  sheriff. 
"  We  '11  not  parley  with  them  except  with  lead." 

Each  man  was  instantly  at  his  post  beside  the 
windows,  that  were  shielded  by  heavy  wooden  shut- 
ters, which  they  opened  a  span.  In  the  excite- 
ment, the  girl  was  forgotten.     She  climbed  to  the 


106  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

upper  landing  on  the  stairway  and  sat  down,  with 
a  vague  idea  of  being  out  of  the  way.  The  next 
moment  a  volley  rang  from  the  revolvers  of  the 
men  within,  and  was  instantly  returned  from  with- 
out. Not  a  sound  came  from  those  on  the  defense 
but  the  click  of  revolvers.  From  without  came  a 
rush  of  feet ;  that  was  a  signal  for  a  second  volley 
from  the  jail.  One  loud  cry  followed,  which  Lu- 
cetta  knew  was  a  cry  of  pain,  then  all  was  silence 
again. 

The  girl  sat  undismayed.  At  first  she  had  ex- 
perienced that  horror  of  blood-shedding  a  woman 
always  feels,  but  excitement  dispelled  it.  And 
when  shot  after  shot  rang  out,  she  felt  so  urgent  a 
desire  to  join  the  fray  she  could  hardly  remain 
seated.  The  spirit  of  a  pioneer  grand-dame  who 
had  shot  at  Indians  through  the  crevices  of  her 
cabin  stirred  within  her,  as  it  does  on  occasion  in 
every  American  woman  who  has  sprung  from  such 
ancestry. 

The  fight  was  over  as  suddenly  as  it  had  begun. 
The  sheriff  opened  the  hall  door  to  reconnoitre 
cautiously,  when  he  was  hailed  from  without. 

"  All  right  here  !  The  enemy  has  retreated  in 
quick  order !  "  and  a  laugh  followed. 

" Is  that  you.  Gore? "  demanded  the  sheriff. 

"  Yes.  Fetch  a  light,  and  let 's  look  after  the 
wounded.     Somebody  was  hurt." 

A  kerosene  lamp  in  the  hall  was  hastily  sought 
by  some  one,  while  the  others  went  out  of  doors 
with  the  sheriff,  and  soon  Lucetta  saw  them  bring 


A  HEARTH-STONE   HEROINE  107 

in  tlie  limp  body  of  a  man,  which  they  carried  into 
Hale's  part  of  the  house.  A  squad  of  armed  men 
of  the  Home  Guard  followed.  She  peered  over 
the  banister  at  the  men  below  and  asked :  — 

"Is  he  dead?" 

The  sheriff,  lamp  in  hand,  was  going  in  search 
of  water  and  bandages,  when  the  voice  from  above 
startled  him  into  nearly  dropping  it. 

"  Good  Lord,  girl,  I  'd  clean  forgot  you !  No, 
be  is  n't  much  hurt,  —  fainted  from  loss  of  blood." 

Lucetta  descended  the  steps  firmly,  and,  when 
he  raised  the  light  above  his  head  to  look  at  her, 
he  said :  — 

"  Well,  you  are  a  plucky  one !  Not  a  bit  scared 
in  a  battle.  In  the  dark  all  by  yourself,  too !  I  'm 
awful  sorry,"  he  added  regretfully. 

"  Now  I  '11  go.  I  must  start  right  away,  or  I 
can't  reach  home  in  time,"  was  the  only  response 
she  made. 

Sheriff  Hale  was  as  large  of  heart  as  he  was  of 
stature,  and  as  gentle  as  he  was  brave ;  moreover, 
he  had  five  little  girls  of  his  own  that  he  had  lifted, 
sleeping,  from  their  beds  and  carried  to  the  neigh- 
bors, out  of  harm's  way,  early  in  the  evening ;  he 
had  also  sent  away  his  wife  when  certain  that  a 
raid  on  the  jail  would  be  made  that  night ;  and  he 
was  painfully  reluctant  to  let  Lucetta  go  home 
alone. 

"  I  wish  you  would  go  upstairs  to  bed.  The 
danger  's  over  for  to-night.  The  delivery  was  a 
failure.  But  I  won't  keep  you  if  you  think  it 
wiser  to  go." 


108  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

One  of  the  men,  who  had  been  listening,  stepped 
forward  and  said :  — 

"  I  '11  go  with  her,  Hale,  as  far  as  the  dirt  road. 
There  won't  be  any  danger  after  she  leaves  the 
pike.     The  Knights  don't  know  me  here." 

"  He  's  aU  right,"  said  Hale  to  Lucetta.  "  Go 
with  him,  for  I  can't  think  of  letting  you  go  alone. 
The  town  's  roused." 

She  consented,  and  the  hall  door  was  opened  to 
let  them  pass  out.  A  great  crowd  had  gathered  in 
the  street,  and  people  were  running  toward  it  from 
every  direction.  In  the  press,  they  left  the  town 
unnoticed. 

Lucetta  and  her  companion  walked  the  entire 
distance  to  the  point  agreed  on  without  exchang- 
ing a  dozen  words,  and  as  he  left  her  there  he 
said :  — 

"  I  know  you,  Lucetta  Whittaker,  and  some  time 
my  life  may  be  in  peril ;  I  may  need  a  woman's 
help.  If  it  should  be  so,  I  now  know  where  to  find 
one  in  whose  bravery  and  loyalty  I  can  trust." 

"  I  do  not  know  you,  sir,  but  I  will  help  you  if 
ever  I  can,"  and  they  parted  at  the  road  that  led 
her  homeward. 

As  Lucetta  proceeded  rapidly  on  her  way,  she 
seemed  the  only  being  alive,  another  Eve  in  an- 
other Eden,  alone.  By  this  time,  night  was  going, 
and  an  owl  was  making  a  fretful  plaint  at  its 
brevity.  An  early  morning  breeze  sprang  up,  cool 
and  damp,  from  the  woods  on  Honey  Creek,  bring- 
ino;  with  it  an  odor  befittinof  the  air  of  Paradise,  so 


A  HEARTH-STONE  HEROINE  109 

heavenly  sweet,  for  the  wild  grapes  flung  abroad 
their  morning  incense  to  the  rising  sun.  A  pheas- 
ant drummed  a  reveille  from  its  post  on  the  hill- 
side ;  a  bittern  boomed  among  the  sedges  and 
awoke  mournful  echoes ;  the  cocks  sent  trumpet- 
ings  from  farmstead  to  farmstead,  announcing  the 
dawning,  like  heralds  before  a  royal  procession. 
These  sounds  were  all  significant  to  Lucetta,  and 
she  scanned  the  eastern  sky,  which  was  as  familiar 
a  map  to  her  as  the  printed  ones  in  the  geography. 
She  knew  by  the  argent  shimmer  on  the  mass  of 
low,  thin  clouds  on  the  horizon,  that  the  hour  was 
near,  the  most  beautiful  and  least  familiar  of  the 
day,  the  hour  of  dawn,  which  is  as  lingering  in  its 
coming  as  twilight  of  evening  in  its  going,  but  in 
which  there  is  an  awesomeness  which  the  falling 
of  night  does  not  inspire.  She  watched  the  swift 
scattering  of  clouds  as  they  fled  before  the  morning 
wind,  like  a  crowd  before  the  advance  guard  of  a 
monarch,  and  saw  the  horizon  stained  by  a  tremu- 
lous pink.  At  this  moment,  as  if  watching  for  a 
signal,  a  lark  rose  from  the  meadow  before  the 
cabin,  which  she  had  now  reached,  and  sang  with 
glorious  energy  the  few  rare  notes  of  its  thrilling 
song.  It  seemed  the  prelude  of  the  morning  choir, 
for,  as  if  in  response,  a  redbird  trilled  from  a 
thicket  in  the  creek  bottom,  a  catbird  mewed  in 
the  grapevines,  and  a  robin  warbled  a  homely 
ditty  from  the  garden  fence,  while  a  malicious  jay 
screamed  from  the  swaying  bough  of  an  apple-tree 
in  the  dooryard. 


110  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

All  these  things  —  the  ecstasy  of  Nature  at  the 
return  of  day  —  Lueetta  noted  with  delight,  and 
when  she  reached  the  cabin  the  sun  came  up  with 
a  burst  as  she  pulled  the  latch-string  of  the  silent 
house. 


CHAPTER  Xni 
THE  BARN-BUENING 

After  a  hard  day's  ploughing,  Abner  Neal  and 
his  hands  were  glad  enough  to  go  to  bed  at  night- 
fall, and  nine  o'clock  saw  the  entire  household 
asleep.  There  was  one  duty  he  never  neglected 
before  he  slept,  no  matter  how  great  his  fatigue : 
he  saw  that  his  double-barreled  shotgun  was  loaded 
and  capped  ready  for  instant  use.  No  loyal  man 
of  either  party  was  without  arms  in  that  troubled 
time,  when  insurrection  was  at  the  very  door. 

There  is  nothing  like  twelve  hours'  work  in  the 
open  air  to  induce  sound  slumber.  It  is  Nature's 
daily  renewal  of  man's  powers,  to  mark  her  higher 
esteem  of  him,  which  she  grants  but  yearly  to  her 
lower  plant-life.  How  generously  she  rewards  his 
puniest  efforts  in  return  for  dressing  her  broad 
bosom  with  the  varied  greenery  of  wheat  and  oats, 
barley  and  rye,  corn  and  clover,  whose  exquisite 
color-tones  in  growth  delight  his  eye,  and  in  the 
harvest  fill  his  granaries !  The  soft  dews  of  morn- 
ing are  for  the  refreshing,  the  rain  for  revivifying, 
the  sunshine  for  ripening  all  these  common  things, 
that  the  fruits  of  his  toil  may  benefit  him.  Even 
the  wonderful  prodigality  of  vegetation  and  over- 


112  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

abundance  of  seed  are  for  his  welfare,  that  he  may 
never  come  to  want  through  his  own  amazing 
wastefulness  and  passion  for  destroying.  He,  of 
all  Nature's  creatures,  is  the  only  one  capable  of 
perfect  gratitude,  yet  is  most  ungrateful.  His 
murmurings  began  with  the  primal  sacrifice  of  the 
firstfruits  of  the  field  and  the  firstlings  of  the 
flock. 

Abner  Neal  was,  on  the  whole,  one  of  the  best 
men  of  his  class.  He  took  his  blessings  with  be- 
coming thankfulness,  and  patiently  accepted  his 
calamities.  A  strain  of  Irish  blood  helped  him  to 
throw  off  trouble,  and  rally  quickly  from  defeat. 

The  blessings  of  rest  had  fallen  on  his  house, 
and  their  slumbers  were  as  profound  as  those  of 
the  fabled  Seven  Sleepers.  The  rising  wind  did 
not  disturb  them;  nor  did  the  sound  of  wheels 
rouse  them,  although  it  ceased  within  their  own 
barnyard,  scarcely  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
house. 

An  oilcloth-covered  conveyance,  known  as  a 
"  spring-wagon,"  was  driven  as  cautiously  as  might 
be  under  the  open  shed  where  vehicles  were  kept. 
The  driver  quickly  unloosed  the  traces,  but,  without 
removing  the  harness  from  the  horses,  tied  them 
in  a  corner.  Nine  men  had  alighted  from  the 
wagon,  not  without  some  clatter,  for  each  was 
well  armed.  In  silence  they  dispersed  into  the 
gloom  of  the  barn  and  were  lost  in  its  shadows. 
It  was  so  warily  done,  not  even  the  house-dog  was 
aroused. 


THE  BARN-BURNING  113 

When  all  were  safely  stowed,  one  man  asked 
another  nearest  him  :  — 

"  Don't  you  thirk  we  'd  better  wake  Abner  ?  " 

"  No  ;  Frank  said  not  to,  as  the  old  man  can't 
do  much,  and  it  would  scare  the  women.  We  may 
be  able  to  manage  this  quietly." 

"  Frank  ought  to  be  here  soon,  anyway,"  said 
the  other. 

There  was  the  scratch  of  a  match  and  a  sputter, 
and  the  man  held  the  light  to  the  face  of  a  watch 
hidden  in  his  hat  crown,  that  no  stray  beam  might 
betray  them. 

"  It 's  half  past  eleven,"  he  announced.  "  Frank 
said  he  'd  be  here  by  that  time." 

He  paused,  and  a  voice  answered  quietly  :  — 

"  And  he  is." 

"  Good !  Which  direction  do  you  expect  the 
attack?" 

"  From  the  southwest ;  that 's  the  nearest  way 
for  them  to  come.  We  have  the  advantage  of 
them,  and  are  ready  for  them,  thanks  to  our  friends 
here."  And  he  laid  his  hand  on  the  shoulder  of 
the  taller  and  slighter  of  the  two  men. 

"  To  me  ?  not  much !    Why,  don't  you  know  "  — 

"  Too  loud,  boys,"  cautioned  the  big  man,  who 
seemed  to  be  in  authority.  They  were  quiet  for 
half  an  hour,  when  Frank  coidd  contain  himself 
no  longer. 

"  They  've  got  scent  of  us,  I  'm  afraid.  Harv  's 
got  spies  every  place,  even  in  the  jail.     Eh,  Hale  ?  " 

As  he  spoke  the  last  words,  a  rail  fell  out  of  place 


114  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

from  the  fence  back  of  the  barn,  as  indicated  by 
the  sound,  some  yards  away.  A  quickly  smothered 
curse  followed  the  noise,  and  Frank,  who  was  peep- 
ing through  a  crack  into  the  darkness,  could  dimly 
see  a  figure  skulking  toward  the  sodden  straw- 
stacks  which  stood  farther  down  the  yard.  The 
men  within  the  shed  watched  for  others  to  follow, 
but  no  one  came. 

"They  seem  to  have  weakened,"  whispered 
Frank.     "  There 's  only  one  of  'em." 

"  Hush !  the  rest  may  be  hidden  in  the  fence 
corners  on  the  field-side." 

As  they  watched,  a  crash  as  of  breaking  glass 
followed,  and  a  flame  instantly  shot  up  the  side  of 
the  stack,  that  soon  made  it  a  veritable  pillar  of 
fire.     A  shrill  voice  screamed  :  — 

"  To  hell  with  old  Abe  Lincoln  and  all  the  Lin- 
coln dogs!  "  and  the  creature  gamboled  grotesquely 
about  the  roaring  stack.  He  flung  up  his  arms 
in  wild  gestures,  uttered  fearful  imprecations  as 
a  second  one  became  enkindled,  then  broke  into 
shrieks  of  hysteric  laughter  that  ended  abruptly 
in  awful  silence. 

"  It 's  brighter  than  Arcturus !  Fire  can  burn 
out  blood-stains !  The  blood  of  my  friend !  the 
blood  of  my  friend  !  The  lot !  the  lot !  It  fell  my 
lot !  "  he  chanted  weirdly,  then  screamed  in  ecstasy 
and  capered  more  wildly  as  the  fire  mounted  higher. 
The  fit  passed,  and  his  voice  fell  into  its  accustomed 
mildness,  and  he  said  with  rational  decision  :  — 

"  It 's  like  hell-fire  !  " 


THE  BARN-BURNING  115 

Then,  with  sudden  fury,  he  cried :  — 

"Let  'em  burn,  burn,  burn  to  everlastin',  and 
I  '11  burn  with  'em  !  " 

With  a  leap  he  plunged  into  the  raging  flames. 
Then,  with  a  fearful  shriek,  a  woman  flung  herself 
over  the  fence  and  ran  to  the  maniac's  rescue,  and 
she,  too,  would  have  been  swallowed  in  this  fiery 
furnace,  had  not  Frank  rushed  down  on  her  and 
held  her  back. 

"  Oh,  it 's  pappy  !  it 's  pappy !  "  she  screamed 
distractedly,  and  fell  at  Frank's  feet,  where  she 
groveled  as  in  a  fit. 

The  men  in  the  barn  stood  awestruck,  bereft  of 
all  their  senses  but  that  of  sight,  with  jaws  dropped 
and  arms  rigid,  useless,  and  heavy  as  leaden  images, 
as  if  under  the  bewitchment  of  Zeb's  incantations, 
till  the  cry  of  the  girl  broke  the  spell ;  when  they 
ran  to  the  stacks,  too  late  to  save  the  man  from  his 
desperate  deed. 

As  they  burst  into  the  glare  of  the  fire,  there 
was  a  rustle  in  the  fence  corners,  and  half  a  dozen 
men  fled  across  the  wheat-field  and  were  lost  in 
the  woods  beyond,  but  some  of  the  sheriff's  men 
were  collected  enough  to  send  a  volley  crashing 
after  them. 

They  dragged  the  man  from  the  flames,  scorched 
and  suffocated,  but  still  breathing  feebly,  and  all 
interest  was  centred  on  the  frenzied  wretch  writh- 
ing in  the  throes  of  self-inflicted  torture,  who 
gasped  agonizingly  for  the  breath  his  seared  lungs 
refused  to  take. 


116  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

By  this  time  the  household  was  aroused  and  in 
commotion.  Abner  Neal  and  his  men  hurried  out 
half  clothed,  followed  by  the  women.  They  were 
all  cool  and  collected,  for  they  had  lived  for  months 
under  the  menace  of  arson  and  murder,  and  were 
therefore  not  unprepared  for  this  crisis,  which  was 
in  a  measure  a  relief  from  wearing  suspense. 

When  Abner  Neal  saw  that  it  was  Zeb  lying 
there  on  the  ground,  contempt  drove  pity  from  his 
heart. 

"  That  fellow !  "  he  cried.  "  I  've  almost  given 
him  the  bread  he  's  eaten  for  years  for  the  sake  of 
his  women  folks.  God  knows  he  never  earned  it. 
And  I  've  kept  the  roof  over  his  head." 

"  Oh,  it 's  all  true,  it 's  all  true,  but  I  did  what 
I  could.     Frank  knows !  "  moaned  Lucetta. 

Sheriff  Hale  went  up  to  the  angry,  outraged  old 
man,  and  spoke  to  him  in  a  low  voice,  but  Abner 
was  not  to  be  appeased. 

"  The  fellow 's  done  for.  His  punishment 's 
greater  than  any  the  law  could  give  him,  God 
knows.  For  decency's  and  humanity's  sake,  let  us 
take  him  into  the  house,"  urged  the  kind  sheriff. 

"  Take  the  viper  into  my  house !  A  fellow  that 
would  murder  me  in  my  bed !  No,  take  him  to 
jail!" 

"  At  least,  get  us  something  to  soothe  his  pain, 
some  flour,  and  oil,  and  bandages,"  pleaded  the 
sheriff.     But  the  old  man  still  refused. 

Frank  said,  "  Don't  be  so  hard,  father ;  you  for- 
get," sinking  his  voice  lower.  "  Lucetta  can  hear 
you.     Mother,  you  at  least  will  be  kinder." 


THE  BARN-BURNING  117 

But  Mrs.  Neal  had  neither  kindly  words  nor 
looks  of  pity  for  Zeb's  daughter,  although  human- 
ity prompted  her  to  fetch  such  simple  palliatives 
as  they  had  at  hand. 

Sheriff  Hale  went  to  Lucetta,  who  still  sat  on 
the  ground,  wretched  beyond  the  power  of  words 
or  motion,  with  her  face  buried  in  her  hands. 

Even  the  harsh  duties  of  his  office  could  not 
change  the  benignant  clemency  of  his  nature,  —  a 
gentle  quality  frequently  the  gift  of  men  of  large 
physique  and  calm,  even  temperament,  who  are  too 
slow  to  stab  with  sarcastic  wit,  and  too  strong  will- 
fully to  pain  the  weak.  Fate  selects  them  for  en- 
terprises where  endurance  and  patience  are  needed, 
and  for  troubled  womankind  to  trust. 

He  raised  the  girl  to  her  feet,  supported  her  in 
his  arms,  and  soothed  her  with  kind  words.  He 
was  the  only  person  there  who  entered  into  her  feel- 
ings, and  sympathized  fully  with  her  misery  and 
f riendlessness ;  he  alone  realized  that  her  mental 
torture  was  greater  than  Zeb's  physical  agony,  and 
he  wished  to  spare  her  the  added  pain  of  the  hard 
words  which  fell  from  the  lips  of  those  about  them. 

He  motioned  to  Frank,  who  came  to  his  side. 

"Take  the  girl  away,  Frank,  into  the  house," 
he  said.     "  It 's  all  too  much  for  her." 

Frank  beckoned  to  his  aid  a  slender  young  man, 
and  between  them  they  supported  her  to  the  house, 
tearless  and  despairing,  and  so  exhausted  she  could 
hardly  walk. 

Mrs.  Neal  returned  with  her  stores,  and  the  men 


118  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

stripped  Zeb  of  his  smoking  tatters,  and  applied 
oil  and  flour,  and  wrapped  him  in  a  sheet.  They 
took  a  door  from  its  hinges,  and  on  this  improvised 
stretcher  they  carried  the  pain-stricken  wretch  to 
the  house  of  the  man  whom  he  had  been  appointed 
to  murder. 

Frank  had  laid  Lucetta  down  on  a  lounge  in  the 
sitting-room.  He  could  not  comfort  her,  for  she 
seemed  beyond  the  reach  of  words,  and  he  unable 
to  call  up  any. 

"Oh,  will  they  hang  poor  pappy?"  she  asked 
distractedly  over  and  over.  "  He  did  n't  plot  it 
of  his  own  will.  He  could  n't  do  it.  It  was  the 
lot ;  he  said  it  was  the  lot." 

She  clung  to  Frank's  hand  in  the  intensity  of 
her  despair,  and  implored  him  with  pain-widened 
eyes  for  comfort.  Then,  when  she  realized  that  it 
was  his  father  whom  hers  would  have  murdered, 
she  shrank  back  into  the  pillow,  and  moaned  in 
bitterness  of  soul :  — 

"Oh,  he  would  have  killed  your  father!  Let 
me  go  away  out  of  this  house.  What  right  have 
I  here?" 

She  attempted  to  rise,  but  he  gently  detained  her. 

"  Try  to  be  quiet,  Lucetta,  so  you  can  tell  me 
all  about  it.  We  must  know,  so  the  others  may 
be  brought  to  justice.  It  is  your  duty  to  your 
father."  His  appeal  was  not  guileless.  He  knew 
of  her  exaggerated  idea  of  duty.  "He  was  the 
tool  of  the  Knights,  was  n't  he  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,  but  I  don't  know.     He  has  been  so 


THE  BARN-BURNING  119 

strange  lately,  but  I  thought  it  was  on  account  of 
mammy.  To-day  he  acted  so  worried,  and,  as  night 
came,  seemed  like  a  crazy  man.  Knowing  what  I 
did,  I  was  afraid ;  and  when  he  left  the  house  so 
late,  after  he  thought  we  were  asleep,  I  got  up  and 
followed  him.  Oh,  I  was  afraid,  but  God  knows 
I  did  n't  expect  this !  Oh,  please  take  me  home 
now,  and  I  '11  tell  you  all  I  know  to-morrow." 

As  she  spoke,  the  bearers  brought  Zeb  in,  and 
when  she  saw  him  wrapped  in  a  sheet  she  rose  to 
a  sitting  position,  and  asked  quietly :  — 

"  Is  he  dead  ?  " 

Sheriff  Hale  stepped  to  her  side  and  said :  — 

"  No,  my  child,  but  there 's  no  hope  for  him. 
He  '11  die  before  morning." 

A  look  of  relief  crossed  her  face,  which  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  fit  of  terrible  weeping. 

"  Don't  take  on  so,  child,"  said  the  tender-hearted 
sheriff.  "  It 's  a  God's  mercy  he  '11  be  taken,  for 
he  was  clean  crazy." 

But  he  realized  it  was  the  other  and  far  more 
terrible  punishment  that  the  girl  had  dreaded. 

They  laid  the  body  on  the  lounge  from  which 
Lucetta  had  risen,  and  after  a  time  Zeb's  moaning 
ceased,  lulled  by  the  homely  applications  they  had 
made.  Some  one  came  in  from  the  village  and 
said  the  doctor  was  out.  Zeb  lay  apparently  life- 
less, but  when  he  heard  the  doctor's  name  he 
roused,  as  if  some  distracted  chord  of  his  memory 
had  been  struck ;  and  he  looked  at  Lucetta,  who 
was  kneeling  at  his  side,  and  said  f alter ingly :  —  j 


120  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"I  didn't  want  to  do  it." 

"  Why  did  you,  then  ?  "  asked  the  sheriff. 

"  Arcturus  is  my  star,  and  it  led  me  on." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Well,  Harv  said  so.  I  don't  know.  I  did  n't 
throw  the  fire ;  it  fell  from  Arcturus.  It 's  like 
hell-fire.     Oh,  it  burns !  it  burns  !  " 

"  He  's  as  crazy  as  a  loon,"  whispered  the  sheriff 
to  the  tall,  slender  man  by  his  side.  "  What 's  to 
be  done  with  him  ?  " 

"  Nothing.     Look  !  " 

The  sheriff  turned  toward  Zeb,  and  saw  a  change 
pass  over  his  face,  like  a  film  over  the  cold  surface 
of  a  mirror,  and  he  beckoned  his  men  from  the 
room. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  BIVALS 

The  barns  and  bridges  and  every  available  space 
witbin  a  radius  of  five  miles  around  Eidgely  were 
blazing  witb  gorgeous  red,  wbite,  and  blue  posters 
announcing  the  Fourth  of  July  barbecue.  It  fell 
on  Saturday,  which,  from  time  immemorial,  has 
been  a  sort  of  holiday  among  country  folk,  an  au- 
spicious coincidence  which  promised  "  a  big  time." 
The  barbecue  was  to  be  held  in  Bolser's  woods, 
a  mile  from  the  village,  and  all  the  young  people 
turned  out,  without  regard  to  political  bias.  The 
draft,  for  some  unknown  reason,  had  not  occurred 
at  the  expected  time,  but  was  in  abeyance,  and 
caused  disquiet  that  broke  into  seditious  mutter- 
ings  and  threats  of  violence.  Many  of  the  wiser, 
older  people  of  both  parties  resolved  to  stay  away 
from  this  gathering,  which,  on  former  occasions, 
had  been  merely  a  social  affair,  for  now  it  was 
prophesied  that  a  disturbance  of  some  sort  would 
occur.  Of  late,  secret  meetings  had  been  held 
with  greater  frequency,  and  they  feared  the  agita- 
tors would  use  the  opportunity  to  further  their  own 
ends;  for  their  influence  was  becoming  felt,  and 
had  spread  like  contagion  over  the  country,  until 
nearly   every  township   had    its   branch   Temple. 


122  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

The  War  Democrats  and  Republicans  had  hitherto 
considered  these  meetings  as  of  little  consequence. 
The  tragedy  at  Neal's  had  been  a  fearful  shock, 
and  had  opened  their  eyes  to  the  mischievous  if 
not  downright  criminal  intentions  of  the  Copper- 
heads. It  seemed  the  policy  of  the  governor,  who 
kept  thoroughly  informed  of  their  movements,  to 
ignore  much  of  their  incipfent  lawlessness,  and  to 
deal  as  leniently  with  the  actual  transgressors  as 
possible ;  and  in  the  end  it  proved  a  wise  course. 

By  reason  of  this  judicious  policy,  the  men  who 
had  assaulted  Frank,  after  having  been  turned 
over  to  the  proper  legal  authorities,  were  released 
on  bail ;  and  Jeff  Riddle,  who  had  been  sentenced 
to  death,  had  been  pardoned  by  the  President 
through  the  influence  of  his  loyal  kinsmen,  and 
had  returned  to  the  army  a  wiser  man.  No  effort 
had  been  made,  apparently,  to  find  Zeb's  accom- 
plices, if  he  had  any  ;  many  thought  his  deed  the 
work  of  an  overwrought  brain,  crazed  by  grief  and 
excitement. 

Frank,  for  some  mysterious  reason,  had  not  re- 
joined his  regiment,  although  his  health  was  fully 
recovered.  He  came  and  went  on  seemingly  pur- 
poseless errands,  which  caused  not  a  little  comment 
and  sagacious  inferences  on  the  part  of  the  "  But- 
ternuts." He  still  wore  his  uniform,  which  he 
knew  became  him  well,  and  he  was  aware  that  the 
girls  liked  him  all  the  better  for  wearing  it.  He 
had  acquired  the  soldier  swagger,  and  his  cap  had 
a  rakish  habit  of  getting  on  one  side  of  his  head, 


THE  RIVALS  123 

which  was  covered  with  thick,  crisp,  light  brown 
hair.  His  dark-blue  eyes,  rather  bold  in  expres- 
sion, straight  muscular  figure,  made  him  an  ideal 
man-of-arms,  and  the  maidens  thereabouts  were 
quick  to  appreciate  him,  for  their  woman's  admira- 
tion for  a  soldier  was  stronger  than  their  political 
bias.  Therefore,  when  the  news  went  abroad  in 
the  neighborhood  that  Frank  had  bought  a  new 
single  buggy,  it  set  them  anxiously  speculating  as 
to  what  girl  he  would  honor  with  an  invitation  to 
occupy  the  vacant  seat  beside  him,  and  go  with  him 
to  the  barbecue.  Frank  had  never  "kept  com- 
pany "  especially  with  any  one,  but  had  bestowed 
his  attentions  impartially  on  all,  perfectly  aware 
how  much  they  were  valued.  What  wonder,  then, 
that  he  took  his  own  time  to  make  his  selection,  and 
waited  till  the  day  before  the  great  event  to  do  so ; 
unlike  the  other  young  fellows,  who  thought  it  was 
necessary  to  "  engage  their  company "  at  least  a 
fortnight  before.  He  knew  any  girl  of  them  would 
throw  her  accepted  swain  over  for  the  pleasure  of 
going  with  him.  It  is  not  surprising  that  he  grew 
conceited  and  somewhat  cavalier  in  his  treatment 
of  them,  and  indulged  in  a  good  deal  of  figurative 
handkerchief-dropping.  His  four  years  in  college 
had  modified  his  opinions  of  girls  somewhat,  and 
these  country  belles  were  no  longer  quite  to  his 
taste. 

Frank's  complacency  was  destined  to  receive  a 
shock.  He  had  made  his  choice  undisturbed  by 
a  doubt  of  possible  refusal,  and  it  had  fallen  on 


124  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Lucetta  Whittaker.  Why  he  was  moved  to  ask 
her  he  could  not  tell,  —  pity  perhaps.  Ever  since 
Zeb's  death,  now  three  weeks  past,  he  had  heard 
nothing  at  home  but  bitter  censure  of  the  Whitta- 
kers.  He  had  not  spoken  of  his  decision  to  his 
father  or  mother,  who  he  knew  had  no  intention 
of  going,  and  it  rather  tickled  his  sense  of  impor- 
tance when  he  thought  of  the  storm  it  would  raise 
if  they  foimd  it  out.  All  that  remained  now  for 
him  to  do  was  to  invite  Lucetta,  and,  with  this  laud- 
able object  in  view,  on  Friday  evening  he  hitched 
his  spirited  chestnut  mare  to  his  new  buggy  and 
set  out  for  the  Whittaker  cabin. 

Since  her  father's  death,  Lucetta  had  remained 
in  her  humble  dwelling  with  the  schoolmistress, 
for  she  had  nowhere  else  to  go.  Moreover,  most 
of  the  neighbors  were  too  poor,  especially  in  those 
hard  times,  to  receive  her  in  their  homes,  even  if 
she  would  have  consented  to  live  with  them.  She 
managed  to  subsist  off  the  garden  and  the  money 
Miss  Abbot  paid  her,  and  she  earned  a  little  by 
sewing  for  the  neighbors  and  helping  at  harvest 
dinners.  But  she  was  not  strong  enough  to  labor 
at  actual  field-work  with  the  energy  required,  and 
as  many  women  were  compelled  to  do,  owing  to 
the  scarcity  of  men  from  enlistment. 

To  the  conventional-minded,  attending  a  place 
of  amusement  so  soon  after  a  double  bereavement 
seems  indecent,  but  here  formal  usages  were  not 
regarded.  We  are  largely  governed  by  custom, 
even  in  the  matter  of  our  most  sacred  griefs.     In 


THE  RIVALS  125 

this  locality,  at  the  visitation  of  death  no  change 
took  place  in  the  habits  of  life ;  the  outward  badge 
of  mourning  was  rarely  worn  ;  but  possibly  the 
grief  was  as  sincere  and  the  sense  of  loss  as  great 
as  if  all  the  niceties  of  polite  society  had  been  ob- 
served. 

For  these  reasons,  therefore,  it  would  not  have 
been  indecorous  had  Lucetta  chosen  to  go  to  the 
barbecue,  but  her  recluse  habit  made  her  reluctant 
to  mingle  with  large  crowds.  She  feared  that  this 
meeting  would  end  violently.  The  community  had 
now  reached  a  climax  of  feeling,  in  regard  to  the 
conduct  of  the  war,  the  draft,  and  the  recent  out- 
rages of  the  Knights,  so  strong  that  distinct  lines 
had  been  drawn  between  the  party  then  universally 
called  Butternuts  on  the  one  side,  and  Republicans 
and  War  Democrats  on  the  other ;  and  friendly 
affiliation,  even  on  such  an  occasion,  had  become 
all  but  impossible. 

Frank  drove  through  the  lane  and  drew  up  be- 
fore the  door  with  a  flourish.  The  two  dogs,  Bose 
and  Dandy,  added  to  the  glory  of  his  arrival  with 
joyous  yelps,  as  if  announcing  a  hero.  Having  tied 
his  horse  to  the  fence,  he  walked  to  the  open  door 
and  called  out  a  good-day  to  Lucetta,  who  sat  sew- 
ing just  within.  Stooping  instinctively,  he  entered 
the  room,  to  find,  to  his  disgust,  Jim  Swazey  sitting 
near  the  window,  silently  seesawing  on  the  hind 
legs  of  his  chair,  sullen  and  chagrined.  Instantly 
the  two  men  assumed  a  different  air,  ruffling  like 
cocks  making  ready  for  the  onset.   Jim's  handsome, 


126  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

swarthy  face  mustered  a  bullying  frown ;  Frank's 
blue  eyes  flashed  the  contempt  he  felt,  and  a  curt 
nod  passed  between  them.  Each  was  conscious 
they  were  rivals  for  the  same  favor. 

Lucetta  at  once  perceived  the  bitter  animosity 
of  the  two  men  by  their  bearing  toward  each  other, 
and  mentally  prepared  herself  for  a  skirmish  of 
passionate  words,  while  casting  about  for  a  pla- 
cating topic  of  conversation.  Unluckily,  her  first 
words  were  a  firebrand  :  — 

"  Frank,  you  've  been  away  so  long  maybe  you 
don't  know  my  friend,  Mr.  Swazey  ?" 

Frank  glared  at  him,  and  said  with  cutting  con- 
tempt :  — 

"  If  he 's  one  of  your  friends,  you  may  mark  me 
off  the  list!  I  don't  count  Copperheads  among 
mine,  nor  any  one  that  does  !  " 

Swazey  rose  to  his  feet,  hate  blazing  from  his 
eyes,  his  lips  rolled  back  in  a  grin  of  ferocious 
savagery  from  his  clenched  teeth,  and  presented  a 
most  inhuman  spectacle.  Murder  would  have  been, 
at  that  moment,  a  pleasure  to  him,  inflicting  pain 
a  delight ;  his  hands  contracted  to  fists,  and  invol- 
untarily he  took  a  fighting  attitude. 

"  By  heaven  !  I  'm  not  so  scarce  of  friends  that 
I  would  have  one  of  Lincoln's  dogs  for  one ! "  and 
he  threw  out  his  sinewy  right  arm  to  strike  a 
blow. 

Frank  nimbly  sprang  aside  and  laughed  taunt- 
ingly :  — 

"  I  guess  this  is  not  quite  the  place  for  us  to 


THE  RIVALS  127 

settle  our  differences.  I  think  you  'd  better  join 
Early  or  Morgan  in  Kentucky,  and  I  '11  try  to  meet 
you  there.  It  would  give  me  pleasure  to  blow 
your  brains  out." 

Lucetta  caught  Frank's  arm  and  said  entreat- 
ingly,  though  not  so  softly  in  her  agitation  but 
that  Swazey  heard  :  — 

"  Don't  quarrel  with  him ;  he  's  a  bigger  man  than 
you;  you  don't  know  how  strong  and  cruel  he  is !  " 

In  her  anxiety  she  quite  forgot  the  other  man, 
who  dropped  his  arm  at  this  speech,  betraying  her 
entire  indifference  to  him  and  her  anxiety  for 
Frank.  Swazey  laughed  sneeringly,  and  his  aspect 
was  even  more  brutal  than  before. 

"  I  'U  not  hurt  your  fine  sweetheart  now !  But 
I  'U  fix  him  yet !  I  did  n't  know  I  was  making  up 
to  another  man's  girl !  That 's  why  you  would  n't 
go  with  me !  "  he  said  coarsely,  and  left  the  house, 
muttering  vindictively. 

"  What  did  he  mean  ?  "  cried  Lucetta  in  agita- 
tion. 

"  Nothing  so  very  far  from  the  truth,  Lucetta." 

"  No,  no  !  Not  that ;  I  meant  his  threat.  Oh, 
Frank,  be  careful !  You  don't  know  what 's  on 
foot  in  this  neighborhood.  It 's  too  dreadful  to 
talk  about.  Even  worse  things  may  follow  than 
those  that  have  been  done.  They  don't  dream  how 
much  I  know,  and  it 's  as  much  as  my  life  's  worth 
to  tell.  You  are  a  marked  man.  All  Union  men 
are ;  so  be  careful,  for  you  are  reckless,  Frank, 
and  sometimes  provoke  people  needlessly." 


128  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  The  impudence  of  that  fellow  pushing  himself 
in  here!  Maybe  I  know  more  than  you  think. 
I  '11  be  all  right !  Don't  you  fret !  They  are 
skulking  cowards  that  work  at  night  like  jackals. 
I  'm  ready  for  'em.  —  But  I  came  for  something 
else,  Lucetta.  I  want  you  to  go  with  me  to  the 
barbecue  at  Bolser's  woods  to-morrow  in  my  new 
rig." 

"  Oh,  Frank,  I  can't  go,  for  I  'd  just  told  Mr. 
Swazey  I  could  n't  before  you  came.  I  have  n't 
the  heart  for  such  things." 

"  Oh,  a  little  fun  will  do  you  good.  Of  course 
you'd  not  want  to  go  with  him.  No  respectable 
girl  would  want  to  be  seen  with  that  scoundrel.  I 
never  could  see  why  girls  run  after  every  strange 
fellow  that  comes  into  the  neighborhood.  That 
refusal  don't  count.  You  '11  go  with  me,  won't 
you  ?  "  he  said  persuasively. 

Until  Frank  saw  Swazey  sitting  there,  discom- 
fited, he  had  given  little  thought  to  the  possible 
chance  of  refusal ;  but  as  soon  as  another  man  cov- 
eted what  he  wanted,  he  felt  for  the  moment  that 
Lucetta's  company  to  the  picnic  was  his  most 
ardent  wish.  Her  refusal  only  made  him  the  more 
determined  to  win  her  consent. 

Before  he  joined  the  army  he  had  been  a  favorite 
with  the  girls,  and  was  accustomed  to  having  his 
favors  received  with  alacrity  and  becoming  grati- 
tude. Lucetta's  repeated  refusal  seemed  like  a 
rebuff,  yet  he  hardly  believed  her  in  earnest,  as 
she  was  only  a  girl  after  aU,  and  he  a  sort  of  con- 


THE  RIVALS  129 

quering  hero.  He  was  chagrined,  and  felt  at  her 
persistent  denial  the  same  humiliation  he  had  ex- 
perienced when  defeated  in  a  petty  skirmish  with 
the  enemy ;  and  then,  too,  he  resented  being  treated 
like  Swazey. 

Lucetta,  who  had  spent  all  her  life  reading  the 
riddles  of  other  people's  moods,  unraveled  his  with 
ease. 

"  No,  Frank,  I  cannot  go !  It  is  for  your  own 
good  that  I  stay  at  home." 

He  grew,  angry  at  being  resisted  by  a  girl,  and 
flung  at  her  cruel  words  as  he  quickly  left  the 
house : — 

"  Since  you  know  so  much  about  them,  perhaps 
you  prefer  the  company  of  a  Knight  of  the  Golden 
Circle  to  one  of  '  Lincoln's  dogs  ' !  " 

Lucetta  made  no  answer  to  this  unjust  taunt, 
but  watched  him  drive  down  the  lane,  hurt  by  his 
suspicion,  and  fearful  for  him  if  he  went  to  the 
barbecue  in  his  present  mood.  His  plain-speaking 
did  not  wound  her,  for  the  people  in  the  community 
were  primitive  in  their  habits  and  open  of  speech. 
The  polish  of  polite  society  had  not  smoothed  bitter 
truth  into  bland  evasion,  nor  secret  irritation  into 
suave  acquiescence,  nor  turned  lively  curiosity  into 
well-bred  interest ;  there  was  little  glossing  of  rough 
speech  under  the  varnish  of  gentle  manners,  and 
the  thin-skinned  interloper  was  apt  to  suffer.  Be- 
tween them,  wisely,  it  was  give  and  take,  and  there 
were  few  quarrels  and  no  feuds  under  such  con- 
ditions.    But  there  was  no  small  amount  of  good 


130  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

feeling,  real  kindliness,  and  rude  integrity  in  their 
intercourse  with  each  other,  before  this  secret  trea- 
son began  to  permeate  the  State,  and  set  friend 
against  friend,  and  neighbor  against  neighbor. 
Their  worst  passions  had  been  roused  by  the  war, 
and  nearly  to  a  man  they  sympathized  with  seces- 
sion, and  caught  up  and  bruited  about  the  trea- 
sonable speeches  of  their  leaders.  The  women 
violently  echoed  the  men,  who  were  their  masters  ; 
and  now  and  then  one  was  thought  worthy  to  be 
taken  into  their  councils,  such  as  Mrs.  Bowles. 

Lucetta  was  neither  shocked  nor  surprised  at 
Frank's  rudeness,  nor  did  she  feel  resentment  at 
his  savagery.  It  was  not  unusual  for  "  men-folks  " 
to  talk  so,  but  he  had  grieved  her  by  his  last  fling 
as  no  sharp  speech  had  done  before.  The  ugly 
scene  between  the  two  men  left  an  uneasy  feeling 
behind,  and  she  had  forebodings  of  evil  so  strong 
she  could  not  dismiss  them.  Her  fears  were  so 
clamorous  that  before  Frank  drove  rapidly  out  of 
sight  she  resolved,  with  some  wild  idea  of  warding 
ofP  a  crisis  by  her  presence,  to  go  to  the  barbecue 
herself  if  Miss  Abbot  would  accompany  her. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   BARBECUE 

The  morning  of  the  barbecue  dawned  clear  and 
bright,  with  the  delicious  freshness  and  slight 
chilliness  of  the  atmosphere  which  comes  after 
thunderstorms.  The  rain  had  not  been  violent 
enough  to  make  the  roads  muddy,  and  the  dust 
was  well  laid.  People,  not  deterred  by  damp 
ground  and  consequent  discomfort,  were  seen  com- 
ing from  every  direction,  in  all  sorts  of  vehicles 
and  on  foot,  —  thrifty  men,  and  even  women,  car- 
rying their  best  shoes  in  their  hands  till  in  sight 
of  the  objective  point,  Bolser's  woods. 

As  each  wagon  delivered  its  load  in  the  grounds, 
there  were  hearty  greetings  and  vigorous  hand- 
shakings ;  every  one  seemed  in  fine  humor.  The 
assemblage  was  plainly,  even  poorly,  dressed,  for 
calico  was  forty  and  fifty  cents  a  yard,  and  finer 
materials  proportionately  dear.  The  men  wore 
trousers  and  coats  of  blue  and  brown  jeans,  and 
their  shirts  were  of  homespun  linen.  The  women's 
dresses  were  of  linsey,  woven  in  such  checks  and 
stripes  as  their  fancy  suggested  and  their  skill 
could  execute  ;  and  some  were  clad  in  clean  but 
faded  cotton  dresses  they  had  bought  long  before 


132  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

the  war  began.  The  old  dames  wore  drawn  silk 
bonnets  with  long  skirts,  and  the  girls  and  younger 
women  calico  sunbonnets.  The  young  seemed 
lively  and  cheerful,  as  if  no  war-cloud  hung  over 
them,  or  their  gay  spirits  may  have  been  but  the 
exhilaration  of  the  moment,  called  forth  by  the 
occasion,  —  a  rare  break  in  their  dull  lives.  The 
elder  people  had  a  look  of  settled  melancholy. 

The  girls  giggled  and  prattled  together  in  groups, 
now  and  then  casting  inviting  glances  on  the  lout- 
ish young  fellows  that  hovered  afar,  but  were  keen 
enough  to  follow  at  a  safe  distance  as  the  group 
moved  from  place  to  place. 

The  older  men,  after  the  first  hearty  greeting, 
were  taciturn  and  apathetic,  or  anxiously  alert, 
some  even  gruffly  irritable ;  others  were  collected 
in  knots  talking  earnestly,  remote  from  the  women 
and  younger  people. 

The  speakers'  stand  was  erected  under  a  group 
of  magnificent  beech-trees,  whose  long,  interlacing 
limbs,  with  their  perfectness  of  foliage,  made  a 
wide-spreading  canopy  of  greenery,  through  which 
the  sun  scarcely  penetrated.  Eude  benches,  con- 
structed of  boards  laid  upon  pegs  driven  in  the 
ground,  furnished  seats  for  two  or  three  hundred 
people. 

On  one  side  of  the  grove,  where  the  trees  had 
been  thinned,  a  trench  had  been  dug,  and  early  in 
the  morning  a  great  fire  of  logs  started,  so  that  it 
might  burn  low  enough  for  roasting  the  beef,  and 
two  sheep  to  be  hung  over  it  later.     Now  all  was 


THE  BARBECUE  133 

in  readiness,  and  the  carcases  were  suspended  by 
hickory  poles,  supported  on  heavy  forked  sticks 
planted  on  opposite  sides  of  the  trench.  The  logs 
were  reduced  to  a  mass  of  glowing  coals,  and  the 
savory  odors  from  the  meat  soon  attracted  a  large 
crowd  around  the  trench,  many  of  whom  had  not 
tasted  fresh  meat  in  months.  They  watched  the 
fat  as  it  dripped  into  the  fire,  their  eyes  water- 
ing from  smoke,  and  jumped  back  with  shrill 
screams  as  it  burst  into  a  fierce  little  blaze. 

Genuine  coffee  was  ready  to  be  put  into  pots  at 
the  right  moment,  and  brown  cane-sugar  was  pro- 
vided to  sweeten  it.  These  last  were  almost  un- 
attainable luxuries,  for  which  parched  barley  and 
wheat  and  home-made  maple-sugar  had  long  been 
substituted.  Many  of  these  people,  for  months  to- 
gether, had  not  a  cent's  worth  of  actual  scrip  in 
their  possession;  all  their  transactions  were  done 
by  exchange,  —  their  farms  furnishing  them  a  bare 
subsistence  at  best. 

Alec  Rush  and  Hiram  Gillum  were  officiating 
as  cooks.  When  a  great  cloud  of  ill-smelling 
smoke  puffed  into  the  girls'  faces,  tears  flowed  co- 
piously, and  they  fell  back  en  masse  against  the 
boys  "  lined  up  "  behind  them.  The  young  fellows 
uttered  mock  groans,  and  stretched  forth  rescuing 
arms,  which  the  girls  evaded  with  loud  laughter 
and  a  rush  forward. 

"  Never  mind,  girls,"  said  one  swain,  who  had 
overcome  his  bashf  ulness  enough  to  speak,  "  they 
say  beauty  draws  smoke." 


134  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

At  this  sally,  a  black-eyed  maid  observed  pertly, 
"  How  purty  you  must  be,  Zeke  Creeters  !  " 

There  arose  at  this  archaic  witticism  a  com- 
bined shout  of  shrill  giggling  and  coarse  guffaws, 
which  acted  like  a  charm  in  dissolving  the  invisi- 
ble barriers  that  had  separated  these  boys  and 
girls,  for  instantly  they  paired  off  like  birds  on 
St.  Valentine's  Day,  and  wandered  hand  in  hand 
about  the  ground. 

Lucetta  Whittaker  had  been  standing  on  the 
outskirts  of  this  crowd  with  the  schoolmistress. 
Swasey's  bold,  fierce  eyes  had  found  her  out 
while  he  was  on  His  rounds  as  marshal  of  the  day. 
He  did  not  observe  Miss  Abbot,  and  concluded 
that  Lucetta  had  come  thither  in  the  new  buggy 
with  Frank,  whom,  however,  he  had  failed  to  dis- 
cover anywhere  about  the  grounds.  Resentful 
and  vindictive  by  nature,  he  resolved  not  to  let  the 
day  pass  without  redress  of  some  sort,  petty  or 
great,  as  luck  sent,  for  this  slight  upon  him,  con- 
veyed by  her  acceptance  of  Frank's  escort. 

While  the  men  were  turning  the  beef  on  the 
impromptu  spit,  Harv  Wilson  —  who  was  grand 
marshal,  and  who  wore  a  scarf  of  red,  white,  and 
blue  muslin  across  his  breast  —  came  up,  full  of 
importance. 

"  Most  ready,  boys  ?  "  he  asked. 

Alec  prodded  the  beef  with  a  sharp-pointed  iron 
rod  he  had  had  the  foresight  to  provide,  and,  as 
the  bright-red  juice  poured  from  the  puncture,  he 
said  complainingly :  — 


THE  BARBECUE  135 

"  Seems  like  it  won't  never  git  done.  It  '11  take 
an  hour  yet  anyway." 

"  It 's  been  a-Langin'  on  here  since  seven  o'clock, 
too,"  said  Hi  Gillum,  wiping  his  smarting  eyes  on 
his  shirt-sleeve. 

"  We  must  do  something  with  these  people. 
The  Crof  ton  brass  band  did  n't  come ;  the  Arcady 
Glee  Club  's  here,  but  they  don't  seem  to  satisfy 
'em  like  a  brass  band.  They're  gittin'  tired  of 
waitin',  and  I  'm  afraid  it  'U  have  a  bad  effect  on 
the  meetin'.  It 's  eleven  o'clock  now,"  said  Harv, 
impatiently,  looking  up  at  the  sun. 

"  Have  a  speech,"  said  Alec,  pacifically  ;  "  that  '11 
fetch  'em.  Plenty  of  time  for  a  rouser  'fore  this 
critter  's  fitten  to  eat." 

"  Good  idee,"  said  Harv,  approvingly. 

Shortly  afterward  his  hard,  raucous  voice  was 
heard  calling  the  people  together.  The  feeble, 
elderly  men  occupied  three  or  four  rows  immedi- 
ately -under  the  stand,  and  the  others  were  sparsely 
filled  with  women,  whose  lawful  partners  were 
grouped  together  on  the  outskirts,  smoking,  chew- 
ing, and  spitting,  and  passing  a  bottle  from  hand 
to  hand.  Whiskey  was  very  dear,  and  conse- 
quently was  a  great  treat,  and  always  in  evidence 
on  such  occasions. 

A  glee  club  of  young  men  with  nasal,  discordant 
voices  sang  a  campaign  song  about  "  Little  Mac," 
—  who  was  seriously  talked  of  as  a  presidential 
candidate  of  promise,  —  and  it  was  received  with 
great  applause. 


136  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

That  Harv  read  aright  the  temper  of  his  audi- 
ence, irritable  from  hunger  and  impatient  from  de- 
lay, and  cunningly  used  his  knowledge  to  his  own  ad- 
vantage, was  proved  by  the  speaker  he  had  selected. 

The  orator  came  forward  to  the  edge  of  the  plat- 
form, and  his  tall  figure,  crowned  by  a  massive 
head  covered  with  tawny  hair,  that  hung  long  and 
thick  about  it  like  a  lion's  mane,  his  smooth-shaven 
chin,  brilliant,  crafty  eyes  that  could  suffuse  with 
tears  at  his  will,  lips  that  curled  with  bitter  sar- 
casm or  melted  into  a  smile  as  gentle  as  a  child's, 
made  him  a  man  of  remarkable  and  impressive  pre- 
sence. There  was  that  in  his  bearing  which  stamped 
him  a  leader  of  men,  demagogue  though  he  was. 

He  began  his  speech  with  moderation  and  a 
happy  allusion  to  the  day,  and  gradually  reached 
the  themes  that  set  men  on  fire,  —  the  conscription 
act,  the  removal  of  McClellan,  the  enrollment  of 
negro  troops,  arrest  under  habeas  corpus,  the  im- 
pending draft.  His  voice,  at  first  of  fluting  mel- 
ody, gradually  increased  to  a  strident  scream  as  he 
shrieked  to  some  invisible  opponent :  — 

"  Dare  no  more  to  lay  your  hands  on  the  white 
man's  liberty  !  As  the  Lord  God  reigns  in  heaven, 
you  cannot  go  on  with  your  system  of  provost 
marshals  and  police  officials,  arresting  free  white 
men  for  what  they  conceive  their  duty !  Blood 
will  flow !  You  cannot,  you  shall  not,  forge  fetters 
on  our  limbs  with  a  struggle  for  the  mastery  I 
The  blood  of  a  race  of  freemen  is  up  ;  it  will  not 
submit  to  this  assault !     You  may  conscript  citi- 


THE  BARBECUE  137 

zens  from  their  homes  into  the  army,  but  it  is 
true  that  the  popular  heart  is  no  longer  for  the 
prosecution  of  this  war.  Do  you  think  you  can 
compel  it  so  by  force  ?  —  by  Lincoln's  dogs  with 
collars  round  their  necks  ?  " 

His  auditors  were  tremendously  aroused,  and  as 
he  sat  down  they  called,  "  Go  on  !  go  on  !  " 

Harv  seized  the  opportunity,  while  the  tide  of 
feeling  was  at  the  flood,  and  drew  forward  a  man 
whom  he  introduced  as  Mr.  Dodd.  He  was  the 
Grand  Commander  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle,  though  it  was  not  generally  known  to  his 
audience. 

He  began  where  the  former  speaker  left  off,  and 
fell  at  once  into  personal  abuse  of  the  head  of  the 
party  then  in  power.  On  the  instant,  he  turned 
the  crowd  into  a  raging  mob.  He  had  a  thin,  pas- 
sionate voice  that  rose  and  fell  in  cadenced  mea- 
sure, and  it  swayed  them  like  a  strong  wind  blown 
across  a  field  of  headed  wheat.  His  thin  cheeks 
burned  with  two  red  spots,  and  his  pale-blue  eyes 
were  bloodshot  with  the  energy  of  fanatic  passion. 

"  This  government  of  Abe  Lincoln's  is  a  fail- 
ure !  He  is  a  usurper  !  a  tyrant !  To-day  a  dol- 
lar in  gold  is  worth  one  dollar  and  forty-nine  cents 
in  their  accursed  greenbacks,  earned  by  toil  of  the 
farmer  that  calls  forth  bloody  sweat !  This  war  is 
butchery  !  It  is  no  longer  a  white  man's  govern- 
ment !  They  want  to  give  your  daughters  nigger 
husbands ! " 

His  voice  rose  to  a  shriek  of  rage,  and  the  effect 


138  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

was  like  a  spark  of  gunpowder.  Men  surged  for- 
ward close  up  to  the  stand,  wild  with  passion,  and 
yelled  :  — 

"  Down  with  the  nigger-lovers  !  " 

"  To  hell  with  them  !  " 

"  Death  and  damnation  to  old  Abe  !  " 

"  I  ask  you,  in  the  name  of  God,"  he  shouted 
above  the  uproar,  "  will  you  submit  to  this,  or  will 
you  arm  yourselves  for  battle,  rise  and  defy  them 
in  your  own  State  ?  " 

"  Treason ! "  rang  out  clear  and  strong  as  a 
bugle. 

The  crowd  turned  as  one  man  in  the  direction 
of  the  voice.  They  beheld  Frank  Neal,  dressed 
in  the  uniform  they  were  execrating,  his  arm  ex- 
tended, pointing  an  accusing  finger  at  the  traitor. 
He  was  a  fine  picture  of  courage,  at  the  moment 
lost  to  all  sense  of  policy  or  danger.  On  the 
ground  by  his  side  was  a  tall,  strong  man,  a  stran- 
ger to  the  people,  who  attempted  to  drag  him  from 
his  perilous  position,  as  he  stood,  a  conspicuous 
figure,  on  the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree. 

The  speaker  cast  on  him  a  glance  of  devilish 
malice  and  proceeded  vehemently  :  — 

"  Our  cherished  Vallandigham  is  an  exile ;  our 
Senator  is  wrongfully  expelled  from  his  seat ;  this 
war  is  bloody  butchery  of  our  brothers  !  Help  is 
at  hand  ;  even  now  the  hosts  of  your  deliverance 
are  thitherward  bound.  Arise  and  free  yourselves 
from  the  yoke  of  the  oppressor,  nor  fear  the  bloody 
bayonets  of  Lincoln's  dogs  !  " 


THE  BARBECUE  139 

This  last  taunt  was  flung  maliciously  and  with 
unmistakable  intention  at  Frank,  the  only  man 
present  in  army  blue,  who  still  stood  on  his  lofty 
place.  The  crowd  swayed  toward  him,  now  an 
uncontrollable  mob,  shouting  execrations  and  vile 
words  and  threats,  in  most  hideous  timiult.  Roused 
in  a  moment  of  physical  weakness  by  the  delib- 
erate intent  of  demagogues,  inflamed  by  whiskey, 
lost  to  self-control  with  the  lust  of  murder  in  them, 
they  closed  round  the  boy,  who  was  now  supported 
by  the  man  who  had  failed  to  drag  him  to  the 
ground. 

Lucetta  and  Miss  Abbot  were  lookers-on  from 
behind  a  huge  beech-tree,  some  distance  to  the 
rear  of  the  seats,  and  were  fearful  of  a  tragic  end- 
ing, but  powerless  to  aid.  Lucetta  felt  sick  with 
despair  as  she  saw  her  premonitions  about  to  be 
realized,  and  herseK  utterly  impotent  to  prevent  it. 
Frank  stood  in  full  view,  struggling  to  speak  again, 
but  the  hand  which  his  brawny  companion  had 
placed  on  his  mouth  was  like  an  iron  clamp. 

The  men  had  deserted  the  spit,  attracted  by  the 
uproar,  and  the  smoke  from  the  burning  fat  rose 
blue  as  incense.  Lucetta  was  startled  by  a  snap- 
ping sound  at  her  ear,  and  turned  her  head  to  look 
into  the  barrel  of  a  revolver  which  Swazey  was 
aiming  over  her  shoulder  at  Frank's  head.  She 
struck  at  it,  but  the  hand  that  held  it  was  muscled 
with  steel,  and  it  only  swerved  aside.  There  was  a 
loud  report,  and  the  next  instant  a  man  reeled  from 
the  stump,  lunging  heavily  forward  to  the  ground. 


140  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Lucetta  shrieked,  "  Oh,  Frank  is  killed !  "  and 
sank  to  her  knees  and  buried  her  face  in  Miss 
Abbot's  skirts,  while  spasms  of  shuddering  racked 
her  body. 

The  shot  instantly  sobered  the  mob,  and  an 
appalled  silence  fell  upon  them.  Then  cries  of 
"  Shame !  "  "  Catch  the  murderer  !  "  "  Kill  him !  " 
"  String  him  up !  "  rose  fiercely.  Apprehension 
made  them  tremble,  and  faces  but  a  moment  since 
red  with  furious  passion  grew  pale  with  horror. 
They  were  not  brutes,  but  men  of  primal  passions, 
untaught  in  the  higher  codes  of  humanity.  They 
had  not  guarded  themselves  against  such  out- 
breaks by  self -repression  and  culture.  A  sense  of 
justice  and  pity  they  had  in  common  with  all  men, 
and  they  were  moved  deeply  as  they  crowded 
round  those  who  were  tearing  the  clothing  from 
the  dying  man,  shot  in  the  back  through  the  heart. 
His  blood  spouted  from  his  breast  in  a  jet  and  fell 
in  red  spray  around  them,  each  pulsation  growing 
feebler.  The  retreat  of  life  was  visible  to  them ; 
it  withdrew  like  early  spring  frost  before  the  ris- 
ing sun,  gradually,  irrevocably,  —  slowly  retiring 
before  an  invincible  power,  it  left  the  glazing  eye, 
the  relaxed  muscle,  the  gelid  clay.  They  were 
potent  to  destroy  but  imj^otent  to  restore  life ; 
before  them  this  miracle  of  life  and  death  was 
finished. 

The  victim  had  made  one  feeble  effort  to  speak, 
but  he  was  quickly  past  words.  No  one  knew  him, 
not  even  Frank,  for  whom  he  had  been  slain. 


THE  BARBECUE  141 

Frank,  meantime,  stood  staring  down  at  the 
dying  man,  so  powerless  that  he  could  not  lift  a 
finger.  But  he  was  brought  to  his  senses  by  being 
roughly  dragged  to  the  ground,  and  a  strange 
voice  said :  — 

"  You  are  under  arrest  for  disturbing  a  public 
meeting." 

"  But  they  are  traitors,  and  murderers,  and 
Cop—" 

But  a  hand  laid  over  his  mouth  cut  off  further 
speech,  and  the  owner  led  Frank  away  to  his  own 
buggy  and  placed  him  in  charge  of  a  man  who  was 
seated  in  it. 

"  You  young  fool !  don't  you  know  how  to  keep 
your  mouth  shut  ?  You  can't  stir  up  Copperheads 
without  gettin'  bit." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  asked  Frank. 

*'  I  'm  Lish  Conway,  provost  marshal  for  this 
district.  Now  you  go  home  as  quick  as  you  can, 
for  I  don't  want  another  murder  on  my  hands." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

A  FRIEND   IN  NEED 

Jim  Swazey  was  of  the  order  of  men  which  is 
cruel  to  everything  gentle  ;  if  a  little  dog  fawned 
on  him,  he  would  kick  it  away  from  mere  sur- 
plus of  savagery.  He  was  especially  ruthless  to 
women  who  had  worn  out  his  fancy,  or  crossed  his 
prurient  purpose  ;  but  he  rarely  met  resistance 
from  those  on  whom  his  vagrant  fancy  fell.  Why 
a  man  of  his  nature  should  have  selected  a  girl 
like  Lucetta  as  the  object  of  his  pursuit  is  one  of 
the  world-old  mysteries.  Her  unveiled  repugnance 
to  him  only  strengthened  his  resolution  to  over- 
come it,  and  when  Frank  appeared  on  the  scene  it 
settled  into  deadly  purpose. 

There  was  one  woman  he  could  neither  impress 
nor  bully.  He  more  than  met  his  match  when  he 
met  Mrs.  Bowles.  Her  large,  strong  physique  well 
matched  his  own ;  her  bitter  tongue  silenced  his, 
or  set  him  stammering ;  a  glance  of  her  irate, 
piercing  eye  —  gray  as  half -chilled  steel,  it  had  a 
red  spot  within  it  —  searched  out  the  most  secret 
meanness  of  his  soul,  and  he  withered  before  it, 
as  surely  as  did  the  "  keerless  weed "  at  her 
kitchen  door,  on  which  she  threw  hot  water. 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED  143 

She  intuitively  knew  Swazey  to  tlie  core  of  liis 
bad  nature,  and  reckoned  him  a  bully,  a  coward, 
and  a  most  unmanly  churl.  So  that  when  he 
climbed  the  steep  hill  before  her  house  the  after- 
noon of  the  barbecue,  and  asked  her  for  protection 
till  dark,  she  was  prepared  for  any  disclosure  he 
might  make,  or  that  she  might  be  able  to  worm 
out  of  him. 

She  asked  briefly  and  compeUingly,  "  What  you 
been  a-doin'  ?" 

He  answered  sullenly,  "  I  've  been  to  the  bar- 
becue." 

"  Got  into  trouble,  I  reckon  ?  " 

The  fellow's  sullen  eye  sent  her  a  sidewise 
glance  of  hate,  and  he  grinned  wolfishly,  showing 
strong,  tobacco-stained  teeth,  but  the  straining  of 
the  upper  lip  did  not  betoken  mirth.  He  made  no 
other  answer. 

"  You  have  —  have  n't  you  ?  "  Mrs.  Bowles  in- 
sisted. 

He  nodded  an  unwilling  assent. 

She  held  in  her  hand,  as  if  interrupted  in  read- 
ing it,  an  old  newspaper,  of  a  date  two  months 
back,  printed  on  coarse  yellowish  paper,  the  "  Crof- 
ton  Index,"  issued  at  the  county  seat,  strongly 
Union  in  its  policy. 

"  Look  a'  here !  Seems  to  me  this  fits  you  pretty 
well !  "  and  she  placed  a  calloused  finger  on  a  para- 
graph in  the  telegraphic  news.  It  was  an  account 
of  a  bounty-jumper  and  deserter,  supposed  to  be 
an  emissary  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  who,  in 


144  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

making  his  escape  from  Camp  Morton,  where  he 
was  confined  awaiting  trial,  had  wrested  the  gun 
from  the  guard,  shot  and  nearly  killed  him  with 
his  own  weapon,  and,  in  the  excitement  following, 
made  good  his  escape. 

"  I  got  it  in  town  yesterday,  round  some  carpet- 
chain,  and,  as  I  don't  get  a-hold  of  a  paper  often, 
I  just  thought  I  'd  read  it.  It 's  mighty  interestin' 
readin',  and  val'able,  too !  "  And  she  smiled  a  sin- 
ister, mocking  smile,  more  awful  than  her  frown, 
under  which  he  quailed  and  shrank  back  shudder- 
ing. 

"  You  're  a  poor  sort  of  a  feller !  What  you 
'fraid  of  ?  I  reckon  you  done  it  to  help  the  cause, 
though  bounty- jumpers  ain't  much  to  my  taste." 

"  Is  there  a  reward  out  ?  "  he  faltered  abjectly, 
overlooking  the  fact  that  he  was  confirming  her 
suspicions  by  asking. 

"  Yes,  '  two  hundred,'  dead  or  alive." 

The  poltroon  cowered. 

"  Why,  I  believe  you  're  'fraid  I  '11  try  and  get 
it !  "  She  looked  him  over  with  contempt.  "  I  'm 
not  after  blood-money !  All  I  want  is  to  see  the 
cause  prosper ;  and  if  you  've  done  these  black 
abolitionists  out  of  a  cent,  or,  better,  killed  any  of 
them  and  sent  them  to  burn  in  the  pit  for  the  sake 
of  the  cause,  I  'm  the  woman  to  help  you !  Though, 
God  knows,  I  ain't  got  no  use  for  such  poor  cattle 
as  you." 

The  man  seemed  cowed  by  the  superior  strength 
of  her  nature  and  the  scorn  she  heaped  on  him, 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED  145 

yet  resented  it,  after  the  manner  of  his  kind,  as 
coming  from  a  woman,  and  was  wicked  and  angry- 
enough,  had  he  dared,  to  have  slain  her  on  the 
spot  for  her  contempt  and  knowledge  of  him. 

"  I  want  to  know  what  I  'm  gettin'  into  first, 
before  I  pass  my  word,  Jim.  What  'a'  you  been 
a-doin'  at  the  barbecue  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  aimed  to  shoot  that  damned  Lincoln 
dog  that's  pushin'  himself  into  everything  round 
here.  He  tore  the  badge  off  of  me  in  meetin' ! 
He 's  insulted  me  every  chance  he 's  got !  It 's  on 
account  of  him  I  'm  on  bail.  And  he  's  cut  me 
out  of  takin'  Lucetta  Whittaker  to  the  barbecue." 

"  Oh,  a  quarrel  over  a  girl !  I  might  'a'  known 
it.  Men  '11  fight  over  a  slip  of  a  girl  they  take  a 
notion  to,  like  two  yaller  curs  ;  and  they  're  always 
takin'  a  likin'  to  the  same  one,  though  the  good 
Lord  knows  he  made  enough  of  'em  to  go  round. 
And  a  matter  of  duty  '11  slip  by,  and  they  '11  sleep 
through  it  side  by  side,  like  a  pair  o'  hounds  in  a 
kennel."     And  she  broke  into  a  harsh  laugh. 

The  man  was  furious  enough  to  throttle  her. 
He  was  not  accustomed  to  self-control,  and  was 
only  held  in  check  by  her  extraordinary  strength, 
knowing  well  he  would  have  fared  ill  in  a  contest. 

"  Him  and  me  ain't  done  with  each  other  yet," 
said  Swazey  menacingly. 

"  I  omess  Frank 's  able  to  look  out  for  himself 
if  he  is  a  '  Lincoln  dog.'  He  don't  make  threats  ; 
he  acts.  Or  was  it  him  you  killed  ?  I  reckon  you 
don't  want  to  hide  for  anything  else  but  murder." 


146  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  No,  I  did  n't  kill  him.  The  girl  —  curse  her  ! 
—  knocked  my  arm,  and  I  killed  a  young  fellow 
that's  deputy  marshal,  —  I  don't  knowhis  name." 

"  Served  him  right ! "  observed  Mrs.  Bowles, 
grimly  approving.  "  Come  in !  Liddy  's  at  the 
barbecue.  She  has  the  only  tongue  here,  hung 
in  the  middle  and  loose  at  both  ends.  They  '11 
not  look  here  for  you.     Come  in." 

Swazey  entered  the  kitchen,  and  Mrs.  Bowles 
opened  the  door  of  a  closet  by  the  chimney,  and, 
pointing  to  a  trap-door  in  its  ceiling,  said  :  — 

"  I  guess  you  'd  better  get  up  in  the  loft.  It 's 
dark  up  there,  but  it  ain't  as  dark  as  the  grave." 
She  nodded  with  grim  significance. 

The  man's  lips  worked  savagely  to  keep  back 
the  curses  he  would  have  flung  at  her  had  he  dared. 
He  mounted  a  chair,  slid  back  the  little  trap-door, 
and  drew  himself  up  through  the  narrow  hole  by 
sheer  strength. 

There  he  lay  the  rest  of  the  day,  and  late  in 
the  dusk  of  the  evening,  while  Liddy  Ann  was 
milking,  Mrs.  Bowles  called  him  to  come  down. 
She  gave  him  his  supper  by  no  other  light  than 
the  low  kitchen  fire. 

When  he  had  voraciously  eaten  a  hasty  meal, 
Mrs.  Bowles  said  : ; — 

"  I  reckon  you  'd  better  make  for  Bear  Den  Hol- 
low. It 's  a  good  six  mile  from  here,  and  they  '11 
never  think  of  lookin'  for  you  there.  They'll 
think,  from  the  start  you  've  got,  you  '11  be  a  heap 
f urder  off.     Just  follow  the  creek  down  ;  they  've 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED  147 

scoured  the  banks  every  foot  by  this  time.  There  's 
good  hidin'  places  in  the  Den,  and  the  raili'oad  's 
only  four  miles  south,  and  you  'd  better  git  into 
Kentucky  as  fast  as  you  can.  There  you  '11  be  all 
right.  Here  's  some  powder  and  shot.  Reckon 
you  've  got  a  gun  ?  "  She  handed  him  a  compact 
bundle  as  she  spoke. 

"  No,  I  let  mine  fall  when  I  stumbled  over  a  root, 
and  did  n't  have  time  to  pick  it  up  again,  they  were 
after  me  so  close,"  and  he  swore  viciously  at  his 
pursuers. 

Mrs.  Bowles  unhooked  her  sleeve  at  the  wrist- 
band and  rolled  it  up  to  her  shoulder,  displaying 
an  arm  as  sinewy  as  the  blacksmith's.  She  opened 
the  meal-chest,  full  to  the  brim  with  corn-meal,  and 
thrust  her  naked  arm  down  to  the  bottom  and  drew 
up  a  good-sized  parcel,  well  wrapped  up  in  paper, 
and  handed  it  to  Swazey. 

"  They  're  for  the  '  cause,'  "  she  said  express- 
ively. 

He  took  it,  hastily  tore  off  the  paper  and  dis- 
closed a  brace  of  revolvers  ;  he  snapped  the  trig- 
gers and  found  them  in  perfect  order. 

*'  If  the  men  were  all  like  you,  Mrs.  Bowles,  our 
cause  would  succeed,"  he  said,  compelled  to  admira- 
tion. 

Liddy  Ann  was  heard  coming  heavily  along  the 
board  walk,  and  Mrs.  Bowles  opened  the  door  and 
said :  — 

"  Go  quick !  Harmless  fools  like  her  ain't  to 
be  trusted." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

IN   BEAR  DEN  HOLLOW 

News  in  country  communities  is  sporadic ;  it 
starts  no  one  knows  how,  and  spreads  insidiously. 
About  a  week  after  the  flight  of  Jim  Swazey,  it 
was  rumored  that  there  was  a  ghost  in  Bear  Den 
Hollow.  One  night,  two  boys,  fishing  for  "  cat  " 
in  the  deep  hole  at  the  mouth  of  the  ravine,  had 
seen  a  dim  figure  down  in  the  hollow,  which  was 
lighted  in  flickering  spots  by  an  overhead  moon. 
With  boyish  bravado  they  had  called  out :  — 

"  Hi,  there !  who  are  you  ?  " 

The  apparition  had  sunk  into  the  ground,  they 
averred,  before  their  eyes.  The  story  ran  further 
day  by  day,  spreading  like  circles  in  water  when  a 
pebble  is  dropped,  till  the  news  reached  the  ham- 
let of  Appleton,  which  lay  five  miles  southeast  of 
Ridgely,  where  it  had  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
Colonel  Gore,  who  commanded  the  Home  Guards 
in  that  section.  Orders  had  been  sent  to  him,  as 
to  all  the  commanding  officers  of  the  State  militia, 
to  be  on  the  alert  for  bounty-jumpers,  deserters, 
and  instigators  of  insurrection.  Provost-marshals 
were  numerous  throughout  the  State,  acting  with 
the  Home  Guard  and  those  of  the  civil  officers  who 


IN  BEAR  DEN  HOLLOW  149 

were  loyal,  for  iu  many  localities  these  latter  were 
not  to  be  trusted.  The  militia  was  kept  on  a  war 
footing,  a  precaution  rendered  necessary  by  the 
discouraging  and  threatening  aspect  of  affairs. 

A  description  of  the  deserter  from  Camp  Morton 
had  been  furnished  Colonel  Gore ;  and  the  story 
of  the  murdered  deputy  was  all  about  the  country. 
Sheriff  Hale  had  been  in  search  of  the  murderer, 
but  up  to  the  day  Frank  Neal  met  him  on  the  street 
in  Crofton,  and  told  him  the  story  of  the  "  ghost," 
—  with  his  own  interpretation  of  the  mystery,  —  he 
had  not  had  the  slightest  clue,  and  so  he  at  once 
made  his  plans  quietly  to  investigate  the  affair. 

The  same  afternoon  this  information  was  given 
by  Frank  to  the  sheriff,  Tapp  appeared  in  Apple- 
ton  with  a  supply  of  tinware  suited  to  the  equip- 
ment of  soldiers,  and  he  sought  out  the  officer  to 
dispose  of  his  wares.  Immediately  after  his  trans- 
action with  Colonel  Gore,  a  guard  of  half  a  dozen 
men  was  ordered  to  make  ready  as  secretly  as 
might  be  for  instant  duty,  to  meet  their  command- 
ing officer  singly,  at  a  place  and  time  appointed, 
that  night. 

Neither  the  colonel  nor  the  sheriff  were  believers 
in  ghosts,  and  each  strongly  suspected  this  one 
might  materialize  into  the  man  he  sought,  and, 
without  being  aware  of  it,  they  acted  in  concert- 
Sheriff  Hale  set  off  late  in  the  evening  with 
two  constables.  They  rode  horseback,  on  account 
of  the  rough  roads,  which  in  places  were  impassable 
for  a  vehicle,  and  they  were  joined  by  Frank  at 


150  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Kldgely.  Colonel  Gore  had  the  benefit  of  vicinage, 
and  reached  Bear  Den  Hollow  just  as  the  quiver- 
ing gray  of  dawn  displaced  the  darkness,  before  a 
tinge  of  sunlight  had  brightened  the  sky. 

The  squad  of  men  accompanying  him  defiled, 
like  Indians,  on  the  narrow  footpath  edging  the 
stream.  A  tumultuous  "branch"  dashing  into 
the  creek,  as  if  glad  to  escape  the  gloomy  precincts 
of  a  large  ravine,  warned  them  they  had  reached 
their  destination.  A  cold  wind  made  the  men 
shiver  as  they  turned  into  the  little  canyon.  On 
the  hilltop,  a  fox  barked  a  sharp  warning  of  ap- 
proach ;  buzzards  sailed  high,  with  a  shrill  swish  of 
wings,  startled  at  the  unwonted  intrusion  ;  a  song- 
sparrow,  which  has  few  hours  of  silence,  tinkled  in 
a  hidden  spot ;  an  alert  squirrel  darted  up  a  tree, 
tail  lashing,  chattering  furiously,  and  continued 
his  flight  in  mid-air,  sjiringing  from  bough  to  bough 
to  a  place  of  safety  deep  in  the  woods.  Further 
up  the  glen,  the  brook  threw  itself  headlong  with 
loud  complaint  down  a  tiny  precipice,  in  haste  to 
quit  the  hateful  place ;  its  ceaseless  voice  domi- 
nated sounds  of  lesser  volume.  The  search  party 
disturbed  sleeping  snakes,  that  glided  away  with 
a  hiss,  and  routed  cold  toads  from  their  hiding- 
places.  They  crashed  through  thickets  of  leather- 
wood  and  spicewood,  through  brakes  and  ferns, 
scaled  the  sides  of  the  ravine  with  the  sure-footed- 
ness  of  goats,  —  rousing  the  owls  to  querulousness, 
—  and  brought  terror  to  a  little  world  of  insect 
life,  scurrying,  flying  out  of  their  way. 


IN  BEAR  DEN  HOLLOW  151 

The  sides  of  the  ravine  were  walled  with  huge 
flaked  strata  of  sandstone ;  and  not  infrequently 
great  slabs  fell  from  their  places  and  brought  up 
tilted  at  dangerous  angles,  checked  in  their  down- 
ward progress  by  boulders  or  tree-stumps.  No 
difficulty,  however  great,  hindered  them  in  explor- 
ing every  inch  of  the  glen,  but  not  a  trace  of 
human  creature  could  they  find. 

By  a  mere  chance,  the  men  came  together  again 
at  a  point  where  a  tiny  rill  told  of  a  sequestered 
spring.  "Worried  as  fox-hounds  that  have  lost  trail, 
jaded  and  thirsty,  they  followed  up  a  fissure-like 
opening  to  its  head,  where  they  discovered  a  spring 
beneath  a  penthouse  of  rock,  so  placed  that  the 
sun's  rays  never  found  it  out.  It  spread  in  a  wide, 
shallow  circle  over  a  bed  of  white  sand  thrown  up 
momently  in  tiny  jets,  that  gently  crinkled  its  sur- 
face. The  men  fell  on  their  knees,  hot  and  tired, 
glad  to  drink  as  humbly  as  the  wild  denizens  of 
the  place. 

The  first  man  at  its  brink  was  Tapp,  and  his 
quick  eye  saw  on  the  soft  ground  the  fresh  imprint 
of  a  human  foot ;  large  and  firm  was  the  foot  that 
had  pressed  that  tell-tale  mould. 

The  others  were  following  in  single  file,  the 
colonel  at  their  head.  Tapp  pointed  down,  and' 
said  to  him :  — 

"  I  think  your  man  's  here." 

The  colonel,  well  versed  in  Indian  lore,  stooped 
and  examined  the  tracks. 

"Yes,  they're  perfectly  fresh.     He  must  have 


152  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

come  just  before  we  got  here,  and  has  n't  had  time 
to  get  far  away,"  he  said,  speaking  softly  so  that 
only  Tapp  heard. 

The  entire  squad  had  collected  at  the  spring, 
and  the  colonel  gave  orders  that  some  should 
watch  the  head  of  this  little  ravine,  while  others 
deployed  right  and  left  to  scale  its  sides.  The 
mouth  of  the  larger  glen,  debouching  on  the  river, 
was  left  unguarded,  for  it  could  be  approached 
only  on  foot,  and  had  been  searched  until  they  were 
perfectly  satisfied  no  one  was  hiding  there.  The 
hunt  began  again,  and  they  gradually  closed  in  to 
the  point  agreed  on,  —  the  sombre  spring,  —  peer- 
ing under  every  bush,  behind  stumps  and  boulders, 
even  into  fissures  in  the  steep  sides.  Slowly  and 
warily  they  came  together  in  a  narrowing  circle. 

At  last  a  sharp,  surprised  cry  warned  them  the 
quarry  was  run  to  earth.  About  a  hundred  feet 
up  the  glen,  wedged  under  a  great  slab  of  sand- 
stone fallen  from  the  wall  above,  and  held  totter- 
ingly  aslant  by  a  shattered  sapling,  quivering  to 
further  fall,  crouched  the  murderer.  A  slight  tilt 
of  the  great  rock  would  have  released  it  and 
crushed  him ;  but  it  was  his  sole  chance,  and,  when 
chances  are  narrowed  to  unity,  men  take  desperate 
ones. 

Like  a  creature  at  bay,  as  the  men  surrounded 
his  refuge  in  response  to  his  captor's  cry,  the  pris- 
oner sprang  to  his  feet,  cursing  fiercely.  He  glared 
at  them  from  under  his  mat  of  tangled  hair,  like  a 
trapped  beast.     His  face  was  pale  from  hunger, 


IN  BEAR  DEN  HOLLOW  153 

and  his  eyes  hollow  from  sleeplessness.  He  stood 
defiant  with  superb  courage,  determined  not  to  be 
taken,  hopeless  ?.s  the  situation  was.  The  sheer 
wall  of  stone  behind  him  prevented  surprise  from 
that  direction,  so  that  he  had  but  to  guard  his 
right  and  left  hand  from  behind  the  perilous  am- 
bush of  the  rocking  stone. 

"  Surrender !  "  commanded  Colonel  Gore. 

Not  a  word  did  Swazey  say,  but  with  a  revolver 
in  each  hand,  as  if  determined  to  work  as  much 
destruction  as  he  could  before  he  himself  should 
meet  it,  opened  a  rapid  fire  which  flew  wide  of  the 
mark.  Waiting  for  orders,  the  colonel's  men  did 
not,  at  first,  return  fire.  But  one  youth,  with  the 
fighting  passion  for  the  first  time  roused,  rushed 
on  Swazey  as  if  to  tear  him  from  his  ambuscade ; 
a  shot,  and  he  sank  down  in  his  tracks,  apparently 
lifeless.  At  this,  pitiless  fury  took  possession  of 
the  squad,  who,  deaf  to  the  orders  of  their  officer, 
fell  on  Swazey  as  if  to  tear  him  from  his  den  like 
a  hunted  wolf.  Ill-trained,  untried  as  soldiers, 
they  forgot  discipline,  forgot  their  revolvers  in 
their  holsters ;  not  a  shot  did  they  fire,  but  made 
ready  to  use  the  weapons  nature  had  given  them, 
their  brawny  fists. 

The  sharp  report  of  Swazey's  revolvers,  which 
the  echoes  repeated  clamorously,  filled  the  hol- 
low until  his  ammunition  was  gone.  At  bay  and 
desperate,  he  turned  to  the  cruel  wall  behind  him 
and  tried  to  scale  it,  tearing  the  flesh  from  his 
nails  in  his  frantic  grip.     He  managed  to  drag 


154  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

himself  up  a  few  yards,  his  chest  heaving  with  his 
sobbing  breath.  The  rock  above  him  would  not 
have  furnished  foothold  for  a  bird.  When  he 
realized  escape  was  impossible,  he  beat  his  head 
against  the  cliff  again  and  again.  His  pursuers 
were  the  better  men,  agile,  sure-footed,  and  used 
to  climbing  the  steep  sides  of  the  ravine.  Two  of 
them  soon  dragged  him  struggling  to  the  ground. 

"  It 's  McCune  and  no  mistake !  "  said  Tapp,  as 
he  looked  the  prisoner  over. 

"  Who  ?  "  asked  Colonel  Gore. 

"  The  deserter  —  bounty-jumper  —  and  ex-rebel 
soldier  that  nearly  brained  the  guard  at  Camp 
Morton ! " 

"  It 's  Jim  Swazey,  the  blacksmith's  hand,  that 
tried  to  kiU  Frank  Neal  at  the  barbecue,  and  did 
kill  the  deputy  marshal,"  said  another  man. 

The  prisoner  stood  with  a  hand  tightly  gripped 
by  each  of  his  captors,  his  lips  working  nervously 
over  his  teeth,  his  chest  heaving  deeply,  and  his 
wicked  eyes  glancing  quickly  from  one  to  another 
of  the  men  surrounding  him.  He  offered  no  resist- 
ance, but  seemed  to  have  given  up  hopelessly.  As 
the  last  man  finished  speaking,  he  wrested  his 
right  hand  free,  and  quick  as  a  flash  drew  a  knife 
from  his  breast  and  aimed  it  at  the  heart  of  one 
of  his  guards.  Tapp  as  quickly  struck  down  the 
miscreant's  hand. 

"  We  've  had  enouah  of  this !  "  cried  one  of  the 


men. 


"  Hang  him !  hang  him !  " 


IN  BEAR  DEN  HOLLOW  155 

"  Yes,  liang  liim  !  He  's  had  his  chance  !  " 
And  the  rope  which  was  to  have  bound  him  as  a 
prisoner  was  unwound  for  the  fearful  office  of  his 
execution. 

Tapp  tried  to  prevent  it ;  he  implored  them  to 
let  the  law  take  its  course,  but  all  were  against 
him,  even  Colonel  Gore.  As  well  try  to  stop  a 
hurricane  by  a  silken  scarf  as  to  check  by  rational 
speech  the  wild  passion  of  men  whose  blood  cries 
for  blood.  In  an  instant  the  hapless  wretch  was 
bound,  the  noose  was  about  his  neck.  One  man 
threw  the  end  of  the  rope  over  the  limb  of  a  huge 
pine-tree  tha£  moaned  distressfully  in  a  passing 
gust.  Eager  hands  grasped  it,  and  ran  with  it  its 
length,  dragging  the  wretch  off  his  feet  till  he  dan- 
gled in  mid-air,  plunging  and  writhing  hideously, 
even  cursing  till  the  tightening  rope  throttled  him. 
The  noise  and  excitement  of  the  fearful  scene 
made  the  men  deaf  to  all  other  sounds,  so  that  the 
approach  of  hurrying  feet  was  unheeded.  The 
sheriff  and  his  men  burst  on  them,  horrified  to  be- 
hold the  body  of  a  man  spinning  at  the  end  of  a 
rope  like  a  plummet. 

"  This  proceeding  is  illegal ! "  shouted  Hale  in 
agitation.  "  The  State  of  Indiana  does  not  recog- 
nize lynch  law  as  anything  more  than  murder." 

"  Sir,  the  State  of  Indiana  authorizes,  by  a  pro- 
clamation of  the  governor,  that  this  man  shall  be 
taken  dead  or  alive,  and,  further,  I  am  authorized 
by  martial  law  to  use  my  authority  at  discretion. 
This  is  a  sort  of  drum-head  court-martial,"  said 
the  colonel  grimly. 


156  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Good  heavens !  "  cried  Frank  Neal.  "  Cut  him 
down  quick  !     Don't  you  see  he  's  nearly  dead  ?  " 

"  Let  him  die ! "  was  the  fierce  answer,  accom- 
panied with  curses. 

"  See  what  he  's  done  !  "  and  the  men  pointed 
up  the  ravine  where  lay  the  body  of  the  boy,  for- 
gotten till  then. 

The  wretch  at  the  end  of  the  rope  was  now  as 
quiet  as  his  victim,  but  for  the  pink-tinged  froth 
bubbling  from  his  lips,  and  an  occasional  roll  of 
his  bulging  eyes  and  spasmodic  drawing  up  of  his 
extremities.  On  this  ghastly  spectacle  these  men, 
who  were  ordinarily  peaceable  and  law-abiding  cit- 
izens, looked  remorselessly,  unmoved  by  Frank's 
appeal  or  the  sheriff's  protest. 

Suddenly  Frank  sprang  forward  and  slashed  the 
taut  rope  with  his  pocket-knife,  but  too  late.  The 
lifeless  body  fell  to  the  ground  in  a  limp  heap, 
hideously  grotesque. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

TREATS   OF  FAILUEES 

After  the  tragedy  of  Bear  Den  Hollow  the 
Knights  kept  in  the  background,  impressed  at  last 
by  the  fact  that  there  was  a  terrific,  silent  power 
opposed  to  them,  which  they  in  their  infatuated 
ignorance  had  arrogantly  disregarded,  —  the  Law 
and  the  will  of  the  determined  but  patient  head  of 
the  commonwealth.  They  were  further  disheart- 
ened when  the  news  of  the  ludicrous  panic,  satiri- 
cally called  the  Battle  of  Pogue's  Run,  permeated  to 
their  remote  neighborhood.  These  rural  Hoosiers 
had  their  own  stubborn  idea  of  courage,  and  were 
ashamed  and  disgusted  at  the  poltroonery  of  their 
leaders.  Many,  on  being  enlightened  as  to  the 
real  ends  of  the  order,  which  they  had  been  taught 
was  for  self-defense  in  view  of  certain  contingen- 
cies, deserted  the  cause. 

On  the  convention  of  1863  the  Knights  had 
built  their  hopes,  for  they  had  carefully  planned 
to  control  it  for  their  own  ends.  Governor  Mor- 
ton was  fully  informed  of  their  plans  through  his 
secret  agents,  and  ready  for  any  emergency ;  and 
when  a  great  crowd  had  gathered  in  the  State 
House  grounds,  and,  as  Harv  Wilson  said,  "  every- 


158  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

tiling  was  comin'  our  way,"  tlie  cadenced  tread  of 
soldiery  sounded  above  the  strident  voice  of  the 
speaker  spouting  treason.  A  scene  of  ludicrous 
panic  ensued ;  men  fled  in  every  direction.  So  de- 
moralized were  they,  they  did  not  stop  to  watch 
the  passage  of  the  artillery,  which  did  not  halt,  but 
paraded  with  set  faces  and  twinkling  eyes,  amused 
at  the  laughable  dismay  of  the  foe  in  this  the  least 
sanguinary  battle  in  which  they  had  taken  part. 

These  fustian  Knights  returned  to  their  homes 
humiliated,  but  were  not  deterred  from  continuing 
their  plottings.  They  had  been  fully  enlightened, 
however,  on  certain  points,  —  the  thorough  grasp 
of  the  situation  by  the  governor,  and  his  inflexible 
determination  to  crush  them,  quietly  if  possible, 
forcibly  if  need  be.  Their  deplorable  failure  to 
carry  out  their  designs  in  so  small  a  matter  as 
seizing  the  State  Democratic  Convention  convinced 
them  that  the  time  had  not  yet  come  for  the  up- 
rising urged  by  the  leaders  ;  and  a  warning  from 
Governor  Morton,  that  if  they  wished  to  keep  their 
heads  from  the  noose  they  must  abandon  their  trea- 
sonable schemes,  helped  to  these  conclusions. 

But  another  and  even  greater  failure  was  to  fol- 
low. With  wonderful  prescience  on  the  part  of 
the  authorities,  Morgan's  raid  had  been  anticipated, 
and  the  Knights,  who  had  hoped  to  turn  this  also 
to  their  benefit,  again  failed  through  imperfect 
organization.  They  were  ready  with  their  "Mor- 
gan sign,"  but  not  with  their  assistance,  for  they 
had  not  counted  on  the  prompt  action  of  the  militia, 


TREATS  OF  FAILURES  159 

and  were  disconcerted.  About  a  week  after  the 
lyncliing  of  Swazey,  that  intrepid  guerrilla  appeared 
on  the  outskirts  of  Middle  County  and  halted  for 
a  moment  at  Harv  Wilson's  door  for  provender. 
Morgan  laughed  contemptuously  as  Harv  made 
the  fantastic  sign  agreed  upon,  and  turned  his  jaded 
animals  into  the  flourishing  cornfield  to  trample 
at  will,  while  his  men  feasted  royally  on  the  boun- 
teous harvest-dinner  spread,  as  if  in  waiting  for 
them,  the  guests  having  fled  at  the  first  sight  of 
the  long,  irregular  line  of  galloping  horsemen. 
Morgan  had  been  led  to  hope  for  cooperation  from 
the  Knights,  and  when  they  failed  him,  either  from 
fear,  or  lack  of  dispatch  in  making  ready,  he  did 
not  spare  them.  He  singled  them  out  for  his  con- 
tempt and  showed  it  plainly,  the  "  Morgan  sign  " 
aiding  him. 

The  bold  marauder  came  and  went  like  a  flash- 
ing meteor,  while  his  Hoosier  allies  stood  agape, 
surprised  into  total  forgetfulness  of  the  arms  they 
had  secreted  in  their  oat-bins,  meal-chests,  and 
other  unique  hiding-places  for  this  very  emergency, 
and  they  watched  him  vanish  in  clouds  of  dust, 
astride  their  best  horses,  closely  pursued  by  the 
Home  Guard. 

But  treason  in  Indiana  died  hard,  and  none  of 
these  misadventures  made  a  lasting  impression, 
nor  taught  them  that  there  was  a  vigilance  exercised 
by  the  governor,  strong  as  it  was  patient,  which 
neither  slumbered  nor  slept. 

When  the  terrible  news  of  the  lynching  of  Swazey 


160  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

was  known  in  the  neighborhood,  then,  indeed,  they 
were  brought  to  a  realization  of  their  danger.  The 
Home  Guard,  up  to  that  time,  had  been  held  in 
contempt  as  too  cowardly  to  fight  with  the  armies 
in  the  field,  and  too  pusillanimous  to  be  feared  at 
home.  That  they  might  use  extreme  measures  had 
never  entered  their  minds.  But  force,  rough  bru- 
tality, successfully  applied,  brings  recognition  with 
a  certainty  which  neither  mild  persuasion  nor  gen- 
tle remonstrance  can  command. 

For  weeks  the  hanging  was  discussed  stealthily, 
as  if  the  arm  of  military  power  was  stretched  out, 
ready  to  throttle  the  first  offender  that  dared  speak 
openly. 

The  timid  members  of  the  Vestibule  dropped 
off,  with  those  who  disapproved  the  designs  of  the 
order,  but  the  half  dozen  members  of  the  "  Third 
Degree,"  of  which  Harv  Wilson  was  one,  were 
more  secret  and  active  than  ever.  Their  numerous 
discomfitures  crystallized  their  rather  indefinite 
plans  into  a  definite  aim  of  gigantic  proportion  and 
incredible  audacity.  The  name  of  the  order  was 
now  changed  to  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  to  escape  the 
odium  of  the  old  designation,  but  it  was  of  no  avail ; 
"  Knights  "  they  were,  and  "  Knights  "  they  were 
to  remain  to  the  end  of  time. 

The  men  who  continued  in  the  order  took  de- 
sperate chances,  —  watched  as  they  were  by  the 
secret  emissaries  of  the  governor,  —  and  trusted 
only  those  who  were  bold,  daring,  and  strong  in 
the  cause. 


TREATS  OF  FAILURES  161 

The  autumn  and  winter  passed  away  in  the 
vicinity  of  E,idgely  without  further  hostile  demon- 
stration on  the  part  of  the  Temple  ;  the  Knights 
were  made  the  object  of  unceasing  surveillance 
by  the  officers  of  the  peace,  although  they  gave 
no  ground  for  complaint.  Harv  Wilson  and  a 
chosen  few  made  frequent  trips  to  Indianapolis, 
and  Tapp  disappeared  from  the  neighborhood. 
No  one  was  surprised  at  this,  however,  for  a  rag- 
peddler  seldom  braved  the  discomforts  of  winter 
and  bad  roads  to  ply  his  trade ;  he  worked  only 
in  summer. 

The  following  spring,  the  absorbing  questions 
were  the  presidential  election  and  the  call  for  men 
for  one  year's  enlistment.  The  people  feared  an- 
other draft,  and  the  old  antagonism  was  aroused  to 
even  greater  violence.  In  the  early  spring  the 
news  reached  this  secluded  hamlet  of  Ridgely  of 
the  successful  raid  of  the  Peace  Men  in  the  ad- 
joining State  of  Illinois,  and  the  Knights  gloried 
over  it  as  a  victory  for  their  cause.  They  resented 
the  degrading  of  McClellan  and  the  promotion  of 
Grant,  so  that  all  things  seemed  to  work  together 
for  evil  throughout  that  spring  of  1864.  It  would 
seem  that  complications  were  serious  enough  with- 
out the  added  rancor  of  a  campaign  year.  To  fur- 
ther involve  the  affairs  of  Indiana,  the  Knights  of 
the  Golden  Circle,  masquerading  under  the  name 
of  Peace  party,  ostensibly  seceded  from  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  yet  nevertheless  controlled  it. 

Apparently  none  of  these  events  ruffled  the  stag- 


162  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

nant  pool  of  life  in  and  about  Ridgely.  But  who 
knows  what  riots  and  tragedies  go  on  under  the 
turgid  surface  of  such  stagnation  ? 

When  spring  broke,  it  found  the  people  in  the 
Neal  neighborhood  about  their  accustomed  tasks. 
Frank  Neal  had  returned  to  the  army,  and  was 
soon  to  be  mustered  out,  as  his  three  years'  term  of 
enlistment  had  nearly  expired. 

At  the  blacksmith's  shop,  the  usual  company 
gathered  to  discuss  "  war  news  "  to  the  ring  of 
Alec's  anvil,  —  a  company  a  little  more  poverty- 
stricken  and  a  little  more  discouraged  than  it  had 
been  the  previous  spring,  for  they  could  see  no 
hope  of  peace.  Grant  was  advancing  on  Rich- 
mond, and  they  believed  Lee  invincible. 

Swazey  was  never  mentioned,  and  a  boy  of  the 
neighborhood  took  his  place  at  the  bellows.  Alec 
himself  had  quit  the  Knights  after  that  night  in 
Harv's  cabin,  but  remained  faithful  to  his  oath 
not  to  betray  them. 

The  old  and  young  spinster  had  remained  the 
winter  through  in  the  lonely  cabin,  Lucetta  study- 
ing. Miss  Abbot  teaching ;  and  the  bond  of  affec- 
tion seemed  to  grow  stronger  each  day  between 
the  two,  for  whom  no  one  else  seemed  particularly 
to  care.  Lucetta  had  recovered  sufficiently  from 
the  loss  of  both  parents  to  enjoy  to  the  utmost  her 
books  and  the  society  of  her  wise  friend.  Her 
formerly  too  serious  air  was  tempered  by  gleams 
of  girlish  brightness,  but  she  could  never  be  viva- 
cious, so  subdued  was  her  spirit  by  years  of  hard 


TREATS  OF  FAILURES  163 

drudgery  and  poverty.  Her  appearance  had  im- 
proved :  she  was  no  longer  so  slight  as  to  merit 
Mrs.  Stump's  description  of  "  slab-sided  ; "  slender 
she  would  always  be ;  release  from  constant  ser- 
vice, and  the  good  plain  food  Miss  Abbot  insisted 
on,  had  rounded  her  figure  prettily.  Even  the 
contour  of  her  face  had  changed,  taking  on  a  fine 
oval ;  her  soft,  dark  eyes  were  lighted  with  eager 
intelligence  ;  and  her  hair,  glossily  brown  as  the 
"  buck-eye  "  nut,  shaded  a  low,  smooth  forehead 
from  which  the  lines  of  care  had  vanished.  Alto- 
gether, hers  was  a  pleasing  countenance  to  look 
upon. 

Mrs.  Bowles  and  Liddy  Ann  had  passed  the 
desolate  winter  months  in  the  dreary  task  of  cut- 
ting carpet-rags,  Liddy  Ann's  tongue  babbling 
like  a  mountain  brook,  Mrs.  Bowles  silent  and 
grim  as  the  rock  that  walled  its  channel. 

Who  does  not  love  life  at  each  recurring  spring, 
whose  glories  are  visible  and  are  the  archetype  of 
that  never-ending  existence,  the  sum  of  all  our 
hopes,  the  despair  of  certain  knowledge ! 

It  was  with  joy  the  farm-boy  turned  the  long 
furrows  in  Mrs.  Bowles's  west  field,  and  even  that 
grim  creature  felt  faint  stirrings  of  pleasure  as  she 
followed  the  plough,  dropping  corn.  But  no  sound 
fell  from  her  lips  to  show  her  sympathy  with  his 
mood,  which  was  of  the  blithest,  for  there  was  the 
unforgotten  ecstasy  of  the  meadow-lark's  song  to 
cheer  him  ;  the  odor  of  fresh-turned  earth  to  float 
about  him  ;  the  delight  of  faint  green  in  the  pasture 


164  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

to  feast  his  eye  ;  the  placid  content  o£  the  cattle,  as 
they  nibbled  the  short  tender  herbage,  to  add  to  his 
content :  all  tutored  him  in  thankfulness  for  the 
common  but  bountiful  pleasures  Nature  gives  for 
the  mere  taking  in  early  spring. 

At  Neal's,  life  had  moved  on  with  its  accustomed 
placidity  and  lavish  bounty.  They  planted  their 
corn  and  waited  for  the  harvest,  accepting  serenely 
good  or  bad. 

Thus  spring  slipped  away  till  the  corn  was 
nearly  ready  to  "lay  by,"  and  no  storm  had  trou- 
bled the  life  of  Ridgely  and  its  outlying  farmsteads. 
Not  even  the  rag-peddler  had  intruded  into  its 
calm,  and  they  feebly  wished  he  might  come ;  for 
he  did  not  drive  hard  bargains,  and  was  lively  and 
"  friendly,"  a  homely  word  that  meant  much  of 
good-fellowship  among  them. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

AN   OBJECT   OF   SUSPICION 

Mrs.  Bowles's  spring-house,  through  which  had 
been  led  a  sparkling  brook,  the  outpouring  of  the 
spring  near  by,  was  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  from 
the  kitchen  door,  halfway  down  the  hillside.  The 
milk-crocks  were  sunk  nearly  to  the  top  in  its  cold, 
crystal  water.  Mrs.  Bowles  had  been  skimming  the 
cream  for  the  churning,  for  the  flighty  Liddy  Ann 
was  never  allowed  to  intrude  there.  As  she  came 
from  her  work  to  the  house,  her  quick  eye  caught 
sight  of  a  white  horse  jogging  down  the  road  with 
a  hitch  peculiar  to  an  animal  with  the  stringhalt. 

It  was  fully  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  down  the 
straight  road,  but  she  knew  without  a  doubt  it  was 
the  tin-peddler's  "nag"  and  van. 

"  Drat  him ! "  she  muttered,  as  she  gazed  from 
under  her  hand  which  shielded  her  eyes  from  the 
morning  sun. 

"  What 's  he  back  here  again  for  ?  Nothin' 
good,  I  swow !  " 

It  was  only  about  six  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
but  all  the  neighborhood  had  breakfasted  by  that 
hour,  as  a  thin  trail  of  blue  wood-smoke  from  dying 
fires  testified,  and  had  gone  about  their  daily  avo- 


166  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

cations.  The  sound  of  Liddy  washing  clothes  in 
the  back  kitchen  ;  the  voice  of  the  boy  urging  his 
lazy  horse  as  he  ploughed  for  the  last  time  before 
the  corn  was  "  laid  by  ;  "  clucking,  querulous  hens 
with  their  "  second  hatch  "  scratching  around  the 
door-yard ;  the  bees  busy  loading  their  thighs  with 
pollen  in  the  flaunting  hollyhocks  in  the  garden; 
the  entangled  gnats  shrilling  from  the  gummy  stalks 
of  the  "  painted  ladies ;  "  the  whetting  of  the  scythe 
from  the  oat-fields  near  by ;  the  faint  rasping  of  a 
cross-cut  saw  from  the  woods,  —  all  told  of  a  busy, 
simple  life  of  labor. 

Suddenly  a  pea-fowl  screeched  discordantly  from 
the  top  of  a  tall  pine-tree  on  the  bluff. 

"  It  '11  rain  before  another  sun-up,"  muttered 
Mrs.  Bowles.  For  thereabout  the  cry  of  that  bird 
was  firmly  believed  to  be  an  unfailing  sign  of  rain. 

By  this  time  the  white  horse  and  rickety  wagon 
had  drawn  so  near  that  a  tinkling  could  be  heard, 
and  the  ribs  of  the  scraggy  horse  showed  plainly. 

"  Drat  that  feller  !  "  she  repeated.  "  Come  back 
here  again,  has  he  ?  I  don't  trust  him !  He  's 
a-peddlin'  for  something  more  than  tinware !  He 
means  mischief,  or  I  lose  my  guess  !  " 

Her  lips  were  closed  tight  as  she  watched  him 
open  her  gate  at  the  far  end  of  the  long  lane.  She 
took  a  sudden  resolution,  and  with  her  to  resolve 
was  to  do,  so  that  before  he  had  fastened  the  gate 
she  was  in  the  kitchen.    She  said  to  Liddy  Ann  :  — 

"  I  'm  a-goin'  over  to  Josh  Miller's.  The  baby 's 
took  awful  bad  ag'in  !     They  've  sent  for  me !  " 


AN  OBJECT  OF  SUSPICION  167 

« 
"My!    too  bad!    Who'd   they  send?"  asked 

Liddy  eagerly,  with  an  unquenchable  curiosity  to 

learn  the  most  trivial  detail,  peculiar  to  her. 

Mrs.  Bowles  ignored  her  question,  with  her  ac- 
customed disdain  of  her  handmaiden  when  she 
considered  her  prying  unwarrantable,  but  not  the 
slightest  impression  did  it  make  on  that  irrepressi- 
ble newsmonger. 

"  Mebby  1 11  be  home  to  dinner,  and  mebby  I 
won't,"  said  Mrs.  Bowles,  as  she  took  from  its 
nail  her  light  summer  shawl  of  delaine.  Putting 
on  her  sun-bonnet,  she  passed  out  of  the  kitchen 
door,  leaving  Liddy  Ann  baffled.  In  such  narrow 
lives,  the  slightest  incident  is  of  interest ;  and  when 
one  is  born  with  an  acute  desire  to  know  every- 
thing, however  trifling,  as  was  Liddy  Ann,  disap- 
pointment is  real  pain,  and  she  sighed  as  she  re- 
sumed her  work,  with  the  comment :  — 

"  Miz  Bowles  is  that  gosterin'  and  masterful !  " 

Mrs.  Bowles  disappeared  around  the  corner  of 
the  house,  and,  what  was  surprising,  into  it  again, 
for  she  opened  the  front  door  of  the  sacred  "  par- 
lor-room," disappeared,  and  closed  it  quickly  after 
her. 

The  house  had  been  built  before  the  township 
road  was  constructed.  Such  roads  are  placed  at 
stated  intervals  provided  for  by  the  rectangular 
survey  of  the  State  ;  thus  it  happened  that  the  new 
one  ran  back  of  her  dwelling,  and  the  lane  from  it 
led  up  to  the  kitchen,  and  the  front  of  the  house 
was  toward  Honey  Creek. 


168  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

The  peddler  came  on,  with  his  wares  jingling 
pleasantly.  When  he  reached  the  little  orchard 
by  the  kitchen,  he  tied  his  lank  beast  to  the  palings 
and  walked  with  swift  jauntiness  up  to  the  door. 
Liddy  Ann's  loud  rubbing  on  the  washboard 
drowned  his  approaching  steps,  which  were  light 
to  stealthiness,  compared  to  the  lumbering  tread 
of  the  men  who  walk  always  on  the  bosom  of  the 
earth  or  in  furrows. 

"  Howd'y,  Liddy  Ann  ! "  he  called  out  cheer- 
fully from  the  doorway. 

The  tin-peddler  was  a  friendly  soul,  and  had 
adopted  the  customs  of  the  community  with  sur- 
prising quickness,  one  of  which  was  to  call  every 
one,  from  infancy  to  middle  age,  who  was  not  ven- 
erable enough  to  merit  the  prefix  of  "  uncle  "  or 
"  aunt,"  by  his  Christian  name,  and  he  had  been 
given  his  from  the  first.  There  was  an  amazing 
number  of  honorary  "Uncle  Johnnies"  and  "Aunt 
Betties  "  in  the  community,  and,  with  the  sagacity 
of  a  politician,  Tapp  knew  them  all  and  so  addressed 
them. 

Liddy  gave  a  scream  and  exclaimed :  — 

"  My,  how  you  flustered  me,  Oliver !  Why, 
when  did  you  come?"  She  left  off  work,  and, 
stripping  the  suds  from  her  bare  arms,  pushed  the 
"  scolding-locks  "  up  from  her  neck  with  a  sweep 
of  her  puckered  hand,  preening  as  naturally  as  a 
wet  hen.  She  came  toward  him  mincingly,  as  was 
her  manner  in  company. 


AN  OBJECT  OF  SUSPICION  169 

"  I  'm  powerful  glad  to  see  you !  Won't  you 
come  in  and  rest  your  hat? "  she  asked. 

"  I  just  got  inio  the  neighborhood  this  morning. 
I  can't  come  in,  for  I  've  got  to  go  nearly  to  Crof- 
ton  to-day.  Is  Mrs.  Bowles  well  ?  Thought  I  'd 
just  stop  as  I  was  passing,  to  see  if  she  wanted  any- 
thing to-day." 

"  My,  it 's  too  bad !  Miz  Bowles  ain't  home. 
She  had  to  go  over  to  Josh  Miller's.  The  baby 's 
took  bad  ag'in.  It  do  beat  all  how  that  baby  gits 
sick!  Puniest  thing  I  ever  did  see.  Set  down, 
won't  you  ?  "  she  urged,  handing  him  a  splint-bot- 
tomed chair. 

"  Guess  I  will  for  a  minute.  It  ain't  often  I 
get  such  a  chance  as  this,  Liddy,  to  see  you  alone. 
Most  as  good  as  sparkin',  ain't  it  ?  "  he  said  auda- 
ciously. 

The  delighted  Liddy  tittered  and  said  :  — 

"  Oh,  go  'long !     None  of  your  foolin'." 

"  You  say  Mrs.  Bowles  is  gone  ?  " 

«  Yes." 

"  Well,  I  'm  not  sorry,  Liddy  Ann.     Are  you  ?  " 

"  I  never  thought  nothin'  about  it.  But  why 
ain't  you  sorry?  "  she  asked,  jerking  her  head  with 
clumsy  coquetry. 

"  As  if  I  need  to  tell  you !  But  I  've  got  to  go. 
Got  to  stop  at  Alec's  to  have  a  shoe  set.  Wish  I 
could  stay  in  such  good  company  all  morning." 

Liddy  Ann  bridled  and  her  face  flamed,  for 
there  is  no  woman,  however  great  a  fool,  and  how- 
ever persistently  overlooked  by  the  other  sex,  that 


170  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

is  not  amenable  to  tender  insinuations.  Man's 
flattery  makes  itself  felt,  if  it  comes  from  the  right 
person. 

Poor  Liddy  had  never  had  a  "  feller,"  and  this 
speech  seemed  promising.  She  trembled  and  gig- 
gled, gratified  and  agitated. 

The  peddler  could  scarcely  refrain  a  smile  at  her 
undisguised  elation.  His  keen  eye  watched  her 
simpering  face  attentively  meantime,  much  as  a 
doctor  watches  a  patient  after  administering  a  po- 
tent drug,  in  order  to  carry  out  his  purpose  at  the 
critical  moment.  Any  one  less  a  simpleton  than 
Liddy  Ann  could  have  seen  there  was  more  delib- 
erate intention  than  tender  sentiment  in  the  look 
he  bent  upon  her.  At  last,  with  an  effrontery 
that  completed  his  triumph,  he  planted  an  explo- 
sive kiss  on  her  lips.  Her  delight  was  pitiable, 
because  his  deceit  was  so  apparent.  He  started 
through  the  door,  then  turned  back  as  if  an  after- 
thought had  prompted  him. 

*'  Oh,  Liddy  Ann,  I  saw  lots  of  young  squirrels 
in  the  woods  this  morning,  coming  along.  Do  you 
like  them?" 

"  Well,  I  just  reckon  I  do." 

"  I  've  got  my  gun  along,  but  I  ain't  got  any 
powder.  I  'low  to  get  some  at  Crofton  to-day. 
Wish  I  had  some  now  and  I  'd  shoot  you  a  mess 
of  squirrels." 

"Land  sakes!  Ain't  that  funny,  now?  Miz 
Bowles 's  got  some.  She  keeps  it  in  the  feed-bin. 
I  found  it  t'  other  day  when  I  went  to  mix  shorts 


AN  OBJECT  OF  SUSPICION  171 

in  the  milk  for  the  weanin'  calf.  I  come  a-dashin' 
in,  and  sez  I :  '  La,  Miz  Bowles,  here 's  a  bag  of 
sometliin'  I  found  in  the  bin  with  the  shorts,'  " 
and  Liddy  paused  for  breath. 

"  Queer  place  to  keep  it,"  interrupted  Tapp. 

"  Yes,  I  thought  so,  too.  But  Miz  Bowles,  she 
said  't  was  powder,  —  she  used  to  shoot  like  airy- 
man  when  she  was  a  girl,  she  said,  —  and  she 's 
afraid  to  have  it  in  the  house,  for  fear  a  spark 
might  reach  it  some  way." 

"  Where  did  she  get  it  ?  I  'd  like  to  get  some, 
too,"  cautiously  pumped  the  peddler. 

"  La,  I  can't  say.  I  don't  know  what  she  wants 
of  it,  noway.  She  ain't  got  no  gun  now,  leastways 
not  as  I  know  of.  When  I  asked  what 's  the  sense 
of  havin'  such  dangerous  truck  'round,  she  up  and 
said  she  did  n't  reckon  I  could  see  sense  in  much  of 
anythin',  seein'  I  was  mighty  scarce  of  it ;  that  it 
was  her  business  ;  there  was  times  when  it  might  be 
needed,  deserters,  soldiers,  and  bounty-jumpers  run- 
nin'  'round  the  country.  And  she  brought  some 
of  it  into  the  house.     An'  me  that  skeered  of  it !  " 

"  You  don't  think  you  could  let  me  have  some, 
do  you  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  might  find  you  a  little.  But  Miz 
Bowles  is  awful  sharp  about  missin'  things.  .  So  't 
won't  be  more  than  half  a  teacupful."  True  to 
her  domestic  instincts,  Liddy  Ann  measured  by 
what  was  most  familiar. 

"  Oh,  that 's  enough  !  A  little  will  go  a  good 
ways  in  this  case ! "  said  Tapp,  chuckling. 


172  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Liddy  Ann  went  to  the  old  corner  cup"board, 
and,  standing  on  a  chair,  reached  to  the  top  shelf, 
and  took  down  a  cracked  teapot,  too  worthless  for 
use,  yet  kept  for  some  association,  after  the  strange 
manner  of  women.  It  was  empty.  She  tried  a 
decrepit  sugar-bowl  with  like  results ;  and  lastly 
peered  into  an  old  earthen  jar,  which  likewise 
proved  empty. 

"  Why,  they  ain't  none  !  Whatever  could  Miz 
Bowles  ha'  done  with  it !  She  filled  them  things, 
for  I  saw  her." 

Her  vapid  face  grew  blanker,  and  the  peddler 
looked  disappointed.  With  a  few  words  of  part- 
ing, Tapp  went  away,  and  Liddy  resumed  her  in- 
terrupted task. 

No  sooner  was  the  peddler  out  of  sight  than  Mrs. 
Bowles  softly  opened  the  front  door  of  the  "  parlor- 
room  "  and  cautiously  took  her  way  to  the  wood, 
whence  came  the  droning  sound  of  sawing.  Her 
face  was  livid  with  some  emotion  that  was  not  fear  ; 
it  was  that  mingling  of  rage  and  disgust  one  feels 
at  the  involuntary  baffling  by  a  fool,  from  which 
there  is  no  security  when  chance  thrusts  him  into 
one's  plans. 

The  men.  Alec  Rush  and  Jake  Burrows,  were 
sawing,  with  the  deliberation  that  comes  of  practice 
and  promises  long  staying  power.  The  bright  yel- 
low sawdust  showered  down  in  little  heaps,  and 
the  pungent  odor  of  sap  fi-om  green  logs  filled  the 
air  and  gave  premonition  of  future  trouble  for  the 
housewife  from  clouds  of  smoke. 


AN  OBJECT  OF  SUSPICION  173 

Hearing  only  the  screech  of  the  dull  saw,  they 
were  not  aware  of  Mrs.  Bowles's  presence  until 
her  harsh,  dominant  voice  broke  on  their  ears, 
causing  them  to  stop  work  so  suddenly  that  the 
saw  quivered  through  its  whole  length  in  the  heart 
of  the  log. 

'•  Anybody  here  but  you  two?"  she  asked,  with- 
out preliminary  greetings. 

"  Why,  howd'y !  You  pretty  near  sheered  us, 
Mis'  Bowles,"  said  Alec  Rush,  with  a  good-natured 
laugh.     "  No,  there  ain't  nobody  here  but  us." 

"  I  always  told  you  men  folks  not  to  be  so  fresh 
with  that  tin-peddler,"  she  said,  going  straight  to 
the  point.  "  But  you  are  such  blinkards,  you  can't 
see  an  inch  before  your  noses  " — 

"  Oh,  pshaw  now,  Mis'  Bowles,  you  're  that  sus- 
picious," interrupted  Jake. 

"  And  you  're  such  a  trustin'  fool,  Jake  Burrows! 
You  '11  let  anybody  skin  you  out  of  your  hide  be- 
fore you  know  it." 

The  man  flushed  angrily,  but  did  not  resent  the 
taunt,  for  his  reputation  was  established  by  a  deal 
in  "  green  goods,"  as  he  well  knew. 

"What 'sup  now?" 

"  I  told  you  a  week  ago  to  tell  Harv  Wilson  to 
come  and  take  off  that  stuff  that 's  in  my  bin." 

"  La,  now.  Mis'  Bowles,  I  clean  forgot  it !  I 
did  for  a  fact !  "  said  Jake,  with  affability  that 
exasperated  Mrs.  Bowles. 

"  I  might  'a'  knowed  I  could  n't  trust  a  man  to 
do  anything !  "  she  said  bitterly. 


174  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  What  harm  's  done  ?  "  asked  Alee,  who  with 
Jake's  assistance  was  getting  out  firewood.  He 
had  allowed  all  his  stock  to  be  consumed,  and  in 
consequence  was  obliged  to  suspend  his  usual  labor 
till  his  wife's  wants  were  supplied,  she  having  re- 
belled against  picking  up  chips  to  cook  with,  that 
morning. 

Mrs.  Bowles  stepped  close  to  the  men  and  said, 
in  a  low,  rasping  undertone,  "  That  man  's  a  spy ! " 

The  men  laughed. 

"  Why,  he  knows  all  the  '  grips  '  clean  through, 
from  the  Vestibule  to  the  Third  Degree.  He  's 
helped  institute  every  lodge  in  Middle  County  !  " 
cried  Jake,  who  ardently  supported  the  "  cause." 

"  And  he 's  got  letters  from  'em  all,  — even  Val- 
landigham  !  "  said  Alec,  who,  although  he  had  left 
the  order,  knew  their  secrets  and  kept  them  invio- 
late for  potent  reasons. 

"  We  're  well  acquainted  with  him,"  he  said 
emphatically. 

"  You  're  well  acquainted  with  him,  but  you 
don't  hnow  him  till  you  go  in  the  house  and  shet 
the  door  and  live  with  him  !  "  she  grimly  insisted. 

"  Why,  woman,  he  's  a  '  high  muck-a-muck ' !  " 

"  He  ain't  nothin'  of  the  kind  !  He  's  a  nigger- 
lover  !  a  black  abolitionist !  a  spy !  —  and  I  can 
prove  it !  "  She  then  proceeded  with  a  narration 
of  Tapp's  talk  with  Liddy  Ann. 

"  I  've  always  suspicioned  him !  But  you  men 
never  pay  no  attention  to  weemen-folks.  You  're 
so  much  pearter !  "  she  said  sarcastically. 


AN  OBJECT  OF  SUSPICION  175 

"  Looks  something  like  it !  "  admitted  Jake. 

"  Nobody  knows  what  that  fool  Liddy  Ann  '11 
do  next !  And  that  powder  and  shot  must  be  took 
off  this  very  night,  and  that  there  box  marked 
'  Sunday-school  books '  too  !  " 

And  Mrs.  Bowles  turned  abruptly  into  the  path 
that  led  to  Josh  Miller's. 

The  two  men  left  the  saw  in  the  log  and  walked 
off  toward  the  smithy.  When  they  reached  it  they 
closed  and  locked  the  doors,  and,  with  that  utter 
lack  of  caution  common  to  the  unsophisticated,  be- 
gan to  talk  the  matter  over. 

They  had  artlessly  supposed  that  locking  the 
door  would  be  sufficient  security  against  eaves- 
dropping or  interruption.  Moreover,  Mrs.  Rush 
did  not  know  of  their  return,  and  she  had  been  in- 
structed to  tell  any  one  in  need  of  the  blacksmith's 
service  that  he  had  gone  to  get  firewood,  a  very 
valid  excuse  among  them  for  suspending  any  task, 
for  the  claims  of  the  cook  were  paramount  to  ordi- 
nary business,  and  time  was  not  precious. 

The  two  men  continued  to  talk  in  subdued  tones 
compared  to  their  robust,  vehement  ordinary  out- 
of-door  voices,  but  not  so  softly  that  they  might 
not  be  heard  by  any  one  who  cared  to  listen  atten- 
tively. Indeed,  their  voices  drowned  the  jangling 
of  the  harness  as  the  peddler  led  his  old  white 
horse  up  to  the  shop.  He,  being  always  on  the 
alert  and  quick  of  hearing,  heard  voices  within  and 
instantly  caught  his  own  name. 

Tapp  paused  and  listened. 

Alec  Rush  said :  — 


176  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  If  the  old  woman  's  right,  and  Tapp  is  a  spy, 
it  won't  take  Harv  Wilson  long  to  put  him  out  of 
the  way." 

"  I  reckon  he  '11  be  at  the  meetin'  at  Harv's  to- 
morrow night." 

"  'T  won't  take  Harv  that  long !  He  '11  do  the 
business  to-night !  " 

Tapp  grasped  the  situation  at  once.  He  had 
been  spied  on  by  that  "she-devil,"  as  he  called 
Mrs.  Bowles,  and  he  knew  he  must  get  away  in- 
stantly. He  led  the  horse  back  to  the  wagon,  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  away,  where  he  had  left  it  in  the 
creek  to  soak  its  rattling  wheels  while  the  shoe 
was  being  set.  He  harnessed  slowly,  to  give  the 
conspirators  time,  then  drove  leisurely  up  to  the 
shop,  singing  loudly  and  blithely.  His  old  horse 
drew  up  before  the  shop,  and  by  this  time  the 
doors  were  standing  wide  open. 

Without  a  change  from  his  usual  cordial  man- 
ner, Tapp  called  out  cheerfully :  — 

"  Howd'y !  Glad  to  see  you  again !  Got  a  job 
for  you.  Alec.  My  horse  has  a  loose  shoe,  and  I  've 
got  to  make  Crof ton  to-day.    Can  you  set  it  now  ?  " 

The  smith  looked  somewhat  red,  and  cast  an 
uneasy  look  at  his  companion.  Hardly  able  to 
control  his  embarrassment,  he  answered,  "Yes,  I 
reckon  I  can,"  and  got  his  tools  ready. 

Tapp  laughed  and  jested  till  the  shoe  was  set, 
and  then,  driving  off  with  a  cheery  good-day,  he 
resumed  his  tune,  and  was  still  singing  as  far  as 
they  could  hear  him. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE   RESCUE 

As  Tapp  drove  along  the  lonely  by-road,  the 
urgent  necessity  for  speedy  departure  presented 
itself. 

"  I  've  got  to  get  out  of  here  instantly,  that 's 
certain,"  he  mused.  "  I  must  n't  go  to  Crofton, 
for  that'll  put  them  on  the  sheriff's  plans.  It 
won't  do  to  go  to  Neal's,  for  Frank  is  n't  at  home 
and  I  won't  bother  the  old  man.  There 's  not 
another  loyal  man  I  can  look  to  in  this  section. 
Guess  I  '11  have  to  ask  Lucetta  Whittaker's  help, 
as  I  once  told  her.  She  can  pilot  me  in  the  dark 
over  the  '  backbone '  to  the  Greensboro  road,  and 
I  can  catch  the  midnight  train.  She 's  brave  and 
loyal.  I  want  to  get  off  without  leaving  a  trace 
behind  as  to  how  or  when  I  went.  They  '11  be  after 
me  like  bloodhounds  to-night,  but  I  'm  used  to 
throwing  such  brutes  off  the  scent,  and  I  '11  do  it 
now.  I  must  report  to  the  governor  before  twenty- 
four  hours." 

Tapp  drove  two  miles  farther  on  the  Crofton 
road,  when  he  reached  a  stretch  of  woods  so  densely 
grown  with  underbrush  as  to  be  impenetrable. 
Here  he  stopped,  and,  after  carefully  scanning  the 


178  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

higliway  up  and  down  to  assure  himself  no  one 
was  in  sight,  he  alighted  from  the  wagon  and 
deliberately  laid  down  the  rail-fence  and  drove 
through  the  gap  he  had  made. 

It  was  now  about  eleven  o'clock,  the  universal 
dinner-hour  thereabout,  where  the  people  break- 
fasted at  break  of  day.  Meals  were  the  only  things 
they  attended  to  with  unfailing  punctuality,  and 
the  peddler  knew  that  every  one  would  be  at  din- 
ner. He  carefully  replaced  the  rails,  drove  into 
the  woods  as  far  as  it  was  possible  to  make  his 
way,  unhitched  and  removed  the  harness  from  the 
old  horse,  which  gave  a  great  shake  when  free  and 
at  once  began  cropping  grass.  He  then  took  the 
wagon  and  forced  it  deep  into  the  coppice,  till  it 
could  not  be  seen  from  any  point ;  he  even  straight- 
ened up  the  hazel  boughs  that  he  had  bent,  so  as  to 
leave  no  trace  of  disorder  that  any  chance  passer- 
by might  notice.  The  sward  was  thick  and  left 
no  wheel-tracks.  He  patted  the  old  horse  on  the 
shoulder  and  said  :  — 

"  Old  Pomp,  I  've  got  to  leave  you  now  for 
good,  but  you  '11  not  starve,  and  there 's  plenty  of 
water." 

Tapp  walked  straight  on  through  the  wood  to 
where  the  line  of  sycamores  indicated  the  course 
of  Honey  Creek.  When  he  reached  the  creek  he 
followed  it  down-stream,  keeping  out  of  the  way 
of  fishermen  and  persons  in  canoes,  and  losing  a 
good  deal  of  time  in  taking  these  precautions.  In 
following  the  curves  of  the  stream  he  walked  nearly 


THE  RESCUE  179 

five  miles,  and  it  was  mid-afternoon  when  he  reached 
the  land  whereon  the  Whittaker  cabin  stood. 

Mrs.  Bowles's  pea-fowl  had  not  been  a  false 
prophet,  for  the  sky  was  now  overcast  and  a  moist, 
fretting  wind  had  risen. 

"  If  this  wind  lulls,"  mused  Tapp,  "  it  will  rain 
to-night  and  be  black  as  pitch.  Now,  sometimes 
girls  are  afraid  of  the  dark  when  they  are  not 
afraid  of  the  devil.  They  're  such  contrary  crea- 
tures !  "  and  he  anxiously  scanned  the  sky. 

He  climbed  the  steep,  narrow  path  from  the 
landing,  where  Lucetta's  canoe  was  bobbing  gayly 
in  the  current,  keeping  a  wary  outlook,  and,  as  his 
head  came  on  a  level  with  the  field,  gazed  keenly 
around  before  he  ventured  out  of  the  ravine.  The 
stunted  corn  rustled  in  the  teasing  wind,  birds  flut- 
tered anxiously  about  in  expectation  of  the  storm, 
but  there  was  neither  sight  nor  sound  of  human 
folk,  and  he  walked  as  unconcernedly  up  to  the 
cabin  as  any  other  chance  visitor  would  have  done. 

He  found  Lucetta  hard  at  work  with  a  slate  and 
algebra,  for  it  had  been  definitely  settled,  by  the 
aid  of  friends,  that  she  was  to  enter  Waveland 
Academy  the  second  week  of  September  to  prepare 
herself  for  teaching. 

"  Howd'y !  "  he  called  out  to  the  girl  through  the 
open  door.  "  Don't  want  anything  in  my  line,  do 
you?" 

"  Not  to-day.  I  'm  glad  to  see  you.  Won't  you 
come  in  ? "  she  said  cordially,  for  they  had  long 
since  formed  an  acquaintance. 


180  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

He  accepted  the  invitation,  and  asked  with  cheery 
interest : — 

"  Are  you  all  alone  ?  I  'd  think  you  'd  have  the 
blue-devils  here  by  yourself." 

"  Yes,  I  am  alone.  When  I  'm  busy  I  don't 
get  lonely." 

"  There 's  no  one  about,  then,  but  you  ?  " 

She  perceived  a  shade  of  anxiety  in  his  manner, 
usually  so  jocose  and  happy. 

"  No  one.  Nor  has  there  been  this  whole  after- 
noon. Miss  Abbot's  gone  to  write  a  letter  for 
Uncle  Billy  to  his  son  in  the  army." 

"I'm  glad  of  that.  Miss  Lucetta,  for  I'm  in 
a  fix  and  no  mistake.  That  old  Bowles  woman  's 
turned  informer,  and  the  whole  pack  will  be  on  me 
to-night.  Do  you  think  you  've  got  enough  grit  to 
help  a  hunted  man  escape  ?  "  and  he  looked  at  her 
smilingly,  without  the  least  show  of  fear. 

"  You  're  joking,"  she  said,  unable  from  his 
light  manner  to  believe  in  his  sincerity. 

"Never  was  more  in  earnest  in  my  life.  You 
remember  what  I  told  you  the  night  of  the  jail 
delivery  ?     Well,  it 's  come." 

Lucetta  started  in  surprise,  and  said  hastily  :  — 

"  It  was  you,  then  ?     I  've  often  thought  so." 

"  Yes,"  said  Tapp  simply. 

"  And  you  were  the  man  I  saw  under  the  oak- 
tree,  and  the  handkerchief  was  a  signal  to  Frank  in 
the  bushes  ?  I  have  suspected  so  since,  but  have 
thought  it  safer  not  to  know  certainly  about  either 
of  you." 


THE  RESCUE  181 

"  You  are  wise  enough  for  a  man  to  put  his  life 
in  your  hands,"  he  said  admiringly.  "  If  Oliver 
Tapp  don't  get  out  of  here  this  night,  it 's  all  up 
with  him ! " 

He  then  told  her  all  that  he  had  learned,  and 
she  was  far  more  disturbed  than  he. 

"  If  you  do  fall  into  the  hands  of  Wilson,  he  '11 
show  you  no  mercy.     You  don't  know  him." 

"  Don't  I !  "  said  Tapp  significantly. 

"  But  what  can  you  do  ?  I  can't  think  of  a  plan 
myself.  Every  road  will  be  watched,  even  the 
crossings  at  the  creek,"  said  the  girl. 

She  meditated  deeply  a  few  moments. 

"  I  think  I  can  take  you  through  the  '  Shades.'  " 

" '  Shades  ' !  That  sounds  rather  ominous,"  in- 
terrupted Tapp  flippantly. 

"  I  mean  the  wild  glen,  called  the  '  Shades,'  three 
or  four  miles  down  the  creek,  not  far  from  Wil- 
son's place.  They  '11  never  think  of  your  being 
bold  enough  to  come  into  their  own  territory.  We 
can  go  through  that,  and  from  there  it  is  not  far 
to  the  Greensboro  road,  where  you  can  reach  the 
railroad." 

"  That 's  good !  I  want  to  get  to  Indianapolis 
as  soon  as  I  can.     Must,  in  fact." 

"  Of  course  you  '11  have  to  stay  here  till  night." 

"  Yes,  and  the  schoolma'am  must  n't  know, 
either.  The  fewer  people  in  the  secret  the  better, 
besides  being  safer  for  Miss  Abbot  should  she  be 
questioned,  for  they  call  her  a '  Black  Abolitionist ' 
now,  all  over  the  neighborhood.     You  have  never 


182  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

told  your  own  exploits,  I  infer,  or  I  should  have 
heard  of  it." 

"  Not  to  a  soul !  Yes,  you  are  right.  I  'U  keep 
this  secret,  too.  Well,  you  can  hide  in  the  hay- 
mow till  I  come  for  you,  and  that  will  be  when  it 's 
safe." 

Tapp  took  up  his  hat  to  go,  and  Lucetta  said  :  — 

"  Wait,  let  me  get  you  something  to  eat.  You  've 
had  no  dinner.  You'll  need  food  for  the  long 
tramp  you  '11  have  to  take." 

"  It  would  be  welcome,"  confessed  Tapp.  "  Just 
fix  it  up  so  I  can  take  it  to  my  retreat." 

At  five  o'clock  Miss  Abbot  came  home.  The 
gray  clouds  hung  low,  and  a  drizzling  rain  set  in. 

Lucetta  had  prepared  supper,  and  after  it  was 
eaten  and  the  night  work  done  they  settled  down 
to  their  evening  occupations,  to  which  the  pupil 
gave  her  usual  composed  attention.  By  eight 
o'clock,  Miss  Abbot,  weary  with  the  long  day, 
sought  her  bed,  leaving  Lucetta  still  busy  with  her 
books.  When  she  was  convinced  Miss  Abbot  was 
sleeping  soundly,  Lucetta  changed  her  apparel,  put- 
ting on  the  strong  woolsey  gown  she  wore  about 
her  rough  morning  work  and  her  heavy  calfskin 
shoes.  She  let  herself  out  quietly,  and  when  she 
reached  the  log  barn  she  called  softly  within :  — 

"Ready?" 

"  Ready !  "  came  the  reply,  and  she  heard  Tapp 
scramble  down  the  side  of  the  barn  from  the  loft. 

"  I  've  had  a  good  nap,  and  feel  up  to  anything," 
he  said  cheerfully. 


THE  RESCUE  183 

Slie  could  not  but  admire  the  buoyant  courage 
of  the  man,  which  was  prompted  by  genuine  fear- 
lessness and  sincere  love  of  duty.  She  surmised 
that  he  was  trusted  in  high  places,  from  the  fact 
that  he  had  been  given  this  commission  involving 
disgrace,  danger,  even  death,  and  that  he  accepted 
it  cheerfully  with  all  the  risks  it  involved,  for  the 
good  of  the  commonwealth. 

But  she  could  not  know  what  almost  superhu- 
man effort  it  required  to  prevent  the  culmination 
in  revolution  of  the  widespread  schemes  which  he 
had  discovered.  She  supposed  the  most  serious 
disaffection  to  be  merely  local  and  comparatively 
harmless,  but  not  entirely  without  risk  to  those 
who  actively  opposed  the  malcontents.  Neverthe- 
less, she  took  the  part  chance  assigned  her,  and 
its  occasions  seemed  to  meet  her  continually ;  not 
opportunities  for  the  display  of  great  valor  that 
would  furnish  subjects  for  triumphal  song,  but 
obscure  deeds  that  would  never  be  known  or  re- 
warded. 

She  and  Tapp  scrambled  down  the  ravine  path 
to  the  creek.  The  sky  was  overcast  with  clouds, 
which  the  rising  wind  marshaled  like  battalions, 
but  the  night  was  dark,  though  not  of  the  pitchy 
blackness  of  a  moonless  sky ;  for  had  that  planet 
been  visible,  it  would  have  been  seen  to  be  on  the 
wane. 

He  spoke  for  the  first  time  when  she  unloosed 
the  canoe. 

"  I  'm  sorry  I  can't  help  you,  but  I  can't  manage 


184  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

a  canoe,  and  I  've  no  notion  of  landing  us  both  in 
the  water  at  this  crisis." 

"  I  know  the  canoe  as  well  as  a  rocking-chair,  so 
leave  it  to  me.  You  sit  a  little  back  of  the  centre, 
and,  when  we  pass  the  fords  and  get  into  the  riffle, 
sit  quietly  and  be  careful,  or  we  '11  capsize." 

When  they  were  seated,  Lucetta  took  up  her 
long  paddle  and  shoved  off,  but  kept  well  within 
shore,  under  the  blacker  duskiness  of  the  over- 
hanging hemlocks,  which  here  cast  long  shadows 
across  the  creek  when  there  was  light,  and  intensi- 
fied the  obscurity. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  whippoorwill's  call,  then 
another  and  a  third. 

"  It 's  late  for  whippoorwills,"  Lucetta  said 
softly  and  unsuspiciously.  "  They  call  mostly  at 
dusk." 

Tapp  laughed  a  short,  harsh  laugh. 

"  You  don't  mean  " —  she  asked  breathlessly. 

"  I  mean  we  've  got  off  just  in  the  nick  of  time. 
The  hunt 's  begun,"  he  said  coolly.  "  Rest  on 
your  oar,  let  her  go  with  the  current.  These  coun- 
trymen have  ears  as  sharp  as  weasels'." 

Lucetta  did  as  he  bade,  using  the  paddle  only  to 
escape  obstructions.  The  cries  of  the  whippoor- 
wills grew  fainter  in  the  distance  as  they  glided  on. 

"  We  are  going  away  from  the  hunt  toward 
Harv  Wilson's,"  Tapp  observed.  "  They  don't 
expect  the  game  to  run  into  the  dog's  kennel." 

"  We  leave  the  creek  half  a  mile  this  side  of 
Harv's,"  she  said. 


THE  RESCUE  185 

Once  a  long,  wailing  "  O — a — k — houn  " 
sounded,  weirdly  terrifying.  Then  only  did  Tapp 
seem  in  the  least  Impressed. 

"  Ah !  the  '  Third  Degree '  is  out !  Something 
like  a  slave-drive,  minus  the  bloodhounds,"  he 
muttered. 

The  drifting  canoe  was  utterly  noiseless,  the 
waterway  was  deserted  for  the  highways  and  by- 
ways by  the  man-hunters  ;  for  it  was  well  known 
by  them  that  Tapp  could  not  manage  a  canoe,  as 
one  attempt  had  ended  in  his  ignominious  ducking, 
to  their  great  enjoyment. 

After  hours,  as  it  seemed  to  Lucetta,  they 
reached  the  sheer  cliff  that  indicated  the  precincts 
of  the  place  known  as  the  "  Shades."  At  this 
point  the  cliff  rose  straight  from  the  water  to  a 
height  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  following  the 
windings  of  the  stream.  At  first  sight  it  appeared 
to  be  an  unbroken  wall  that  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  scale.  It  was  bare  of  verdure  or  shrubs  of 
any  kind.  At  the  height  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet,  there  overhung  a  shelf  -  like  projection  of 
stone  along  its  entire  face,  which,  from  the  water- 
course below,  seemed  a  ledge  too  narrow  to  furnish 
foothold  for  any  creature  but  a  bird.  In  one  of 
the  inward  curves  of  this  wall  was  a  narrow  cleft 
from  top  to  bottom,  which  nature  seemed  to  have 
riven  for  the  outpouring  of  a  "  spring  branch." 
But  if  one  pushed  through  this  narrow  cleft  and 
followed  the  stream,  it  led  into  a  deep,  dark  can- 
yon  on  which   the   stranger   came   unaware,  but 


186  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

which  was  well  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  that 
region.  Nearly  halfway  through  the  canyon,  a 
dome-shaped  formation  of  stone  filled  up  the  pas- 
sage from  side  to  side,  and  down  its  face  fell  the 
little  brook,  widespread  in  a  thin,  crinkled  sheet 
like  glass,  and,  only  for  its  gentle  lisping,  it  might 
have  been  taken  for  a  crystal  cap.  The  water  did 
not  dash  down  the  declivity,  but  slid  gently  over 
with  a  soft  murmur.  A  narrow,  difficult  track 
led  to  the  top  of  this  dome,  and  a  long  grapevine 
hung  down  accommodatingly  to  assist  in  the  ascent, 
which  was  partly  through  the  water.  At  the  top, 
one  path  kej^t  on  to  the  spring  in  the  head  of  the 
gorge,  and  the  other  branched  upward  to  the  cliff 
and  led  over  the  shelf  on  its  face,  which  in  some 
places  narrowed  to  a  few  inches,  and  in  others 
broadened  to  a  width  of  several  feet.  On  this 
aerial  pathway,  almost  in  the  centre  of  the  cliff, 
where  the  path  turned  inward  in  a  sharp  curve  as 
though  for  greater  privacy,  was  a  deep  niche  in  the 
stone  wall,  set  as  high  above  the  path  as  a  man's 
head,  which  could  be  reached  only  by  an  effort. 
Nature,  in  a  pious  mood,  had  seemingly  fashioned 
it  for  a  shrine,  for  no  man  knew  its  origin.  As  if 
to  test  the  worshiper's  sincerity,  the  path  here  con- 
tracted perilously,  and  was  made  more  hazardous 
by  the  trickle  of  a  thready  rillet  from  a  tiny 
spring  imprisoned  in  the  rock. 

But  one  person  at  a  time  could  pass  before  this 
shrine,  and  then  only  with  due  caution,  for  a  mis- 
step or  a  slip  on  the  wet  earth  meant  a  fall  of  one 


THE  RESCUE  187 

hundred  and  fifty  feet  down  the  bare,  rugged  walls 
to  the  water  below,  and  from  this  inward  curve 
one  could  neither  see  nor  be  seen  beyond  it  on  the 
track.  This  dangerous  passage  was  a  short  cut  to 
the  Greensboro  road,  and  was  in  frequent  use  by 
the  people  thereabouts. 

Lucetta  left  the  canoe  in  the  weeds,  a  little  way 
from  the  mouth  of  the  gorge,  and  took  to  the  foot- 
path. As  she  entered  the  canyon,  she  began  to 
explain  her  plan  to  Tapp,  feeling  now  that  there 
was  no  need  of  perfect  silence  between  them. 

"This  is  a  dangerous  place  at  night,  in  one 
sense,  but  the  safest  in  the  other,"  she  observed. 

They  were  well  into  the  ravine,  struggling  up 
the  dome,  and  black  and  gloomy  it  looked.  Their 
nerves  were  at  the  highest  tension,  and  the  tum- 
bling of  a  stone  sounded  like  thunder  to  their 
startled  ears.  The  old  moon,  forlorn  and  weird, 
made  a  faint  showing  from  the  parted  clouds,  as 
they  struggled  up  the  steep  incline  and  came  to 
the  divergence  of  the  paths. 

"  This  is  our  way,"  said  Lucetta,  turning  into 
it.  "  Harv  Wilson's  home  lies  half  a  mile  farther 
down  the  creek,  but  they  '11  hardly  think  of  look- 
ing for  us  here  ;  we  're  five  miles  from  home." 

As  she  spoke,  the  shuddering  cry,  "  O — a — k 
— houn ! "  came  down  the  creek,  and  was  an- 
swered faintly  far  up  the  stream. 

"  Great  God  ! "  cried  Tapp,  losing  self-control 
for  the  first  time.  "  They  're  right  at  our  heels  !  " 
looking  back  toward  the  creek. 


188  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

He  turned  fiercely  to  the  girl. 

"  Have  you  brought  me  here  to  trap  me  ?  " 

In  a  passion  of  momentary  rage,  he  drew  out 
his  revolver,  but  let  the  hand  that  held  it  fall  to 
the  length  of  his  arm. 

"  No !  I  can't  kill  a  woman,  even  if  she  is  a 
traitor.  But  if  you  were  a  man,"  he  said  violently, 
"  I  'd  shoot  you  like  a  dog,  and  throw  your  cursed 
carcass  down  there  !  " 

Horrified  at  his  ferocity,  Lucetta  looked  at  him 
and  said  in  a  startled  voice  :  — 

"You  surely  don't  mean  what  you  say?  As 
God  is  my  witness,  I  am  your  friend.  Trust  me, 
and  I  will  help  you  out  of  this." 

Ashamed  of  his  brutality,  and  the  weakness  of 
yielding  to  a  natural  fear,  he  said  humbly :  — 

"  Forgive  me  !  I  trust  you.  Go  on ;  I  '11  fol- 
low, if  you  lead  to  hell !  " 

"  Remember,"  she  said  quietly,  "  it  leads  me  into 
the  same  danger." 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the  ledge  which 
was  the  outlet  to  the  safe  road  for  him.  They 
hurried  along  it  breathlessly,  with  hearts  beating 
thickly.  When  just  under  the  shrine  they  paused 
to  get  breath,  and  Lucetta  warned  him  of  the 
danger  of  the  path  at  this  point.  But  an  ominous 
sound  reached  them  that  chilled  the  sweat  on  their 
brows,  and  made  the  hair  of  their  flesh  to  stand  up. 
Fear  clutched  at  their  hearts  like  a  great  hand 
when  they  heard  such  noise  in  that  lonely  place. 
Feet  were  scrambling  up  the  track  they  had  just 


THE  RESCUE  189 

left,  while  voices  were  heard  in  the  other  direction, 
some  distance  beyond  the  curve  that  hid  them. 

"  They  promised  to  meet  us  here  at  midnight 
with  the  white-livered  hound,  if  they  caught  him," 
said  a  savage  voice  Tapp  knew  to  be  Wilson's. 

With  fierce  imprecations  the  same  voice  con- 
tinued :  "  We  '11  take  care  of  the  fellow  if  they  get 
him.  A  fall  down  here  '11  break  his  cursed  neck, 
and  such  an  accident 's  likely  to  happen  to  any  one 
coming  along  here  at  night,  'specially  a  stranger." 

Two  or  three  voices  joined  in  the  laugh  that 
followed  this  speech. 

"  So,"  muttered  Tapp,  "  that 's  how  you  '11  take 
care  of  me !  ' 

Despairing  of  escape,  but  perfectly  cool,  he 
leaned  against  the  wall,  while  Lucetta  seemed  stu- 
pefied for  an  instant. 

The  two  parties  of  men  were  now  heard  advan- 
cing slowly  and  carefully  from  each  way. 

"  It 's  of  no  use  to  jump  from  here ;  it  would 
only  be  a  worse  death,"  thought  Tapp.  "  A  bullet 
would  be  quicker." 

He  spoke  the  last  words  aloud,  and  the  girl 
raised  despairing  eyes  to  his  and  saw,  as  her 
glance  fell,  the  niche  in  the  wall  beside  them. 

"  Thank  God  for  his  mercy !  "  she  whispered. 
"  I  'd  forgot  it." 

She  caught  the  desperate  man's  arm  and  pointed 
to  the  niche. 

"  Get  up  there  quick  !  "  she  said  in  an  agitated 
whisper,  "  into  the  niche  and  drag  me  in  after." 


190  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

He  looked  ;  hope  quickened  his  senses  and  made 
him  agile.  Gripping  the  rocks  till  the  blood 
nearly  burst  from  his  finger-tips,  he  drew  himself 
up  into  the  sanctuary,  then  fell  to  his  knees,  and 
dragged  up  the  girl. 

The  patter  of  loose  stones  as  they  were  displaced 
by  on-coming  feet  sounded  just  below  them.  They 
crouched  close  together  in  the  narrow  refuge,  wait- 
ing, spent  with  terror  and  exertion,  as  the  men 
passed  in  Indian  file  below  them.  The  first  one 
slipped  on  the  wet  path,  and  swore  savagely  as  he 
caught  himself  by  clutching  at  the  rocks  in  the 
wall. 

"  Look  out,  boys !  there  's  a  spring  here  ;  it 's 
as  slick  as  the  mouth  of  hell !  " 

Each  man,  intent  on  passing  safely,  bent  his  eyes 
to  the  path,  —  which  was  faintly  lighted  now  by 
the  moon  that  shone  fitfully  on  the  other  side  of 
the  creek,  —  and  gave  no  thought  to  anything  but 
his  own  peril.  They  met  the  other  party  at  the 
widening  of  the  ledge,  out  of  sight,  but  in  full 
hearing  of  Tapp  and  Lucetta,  and  reported  their 
failure.  With  curses  and  threats,  the  whole  party 
turned  back  toward  Wilson's. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR 

The  governor  sat  late  in  his  private  office  in 
the  State-house.  He  was  talking  quietly  to  three 
gentlemen  seated  about  the  table  with  him.  One 
was  the  adjutant-general  of  the  state  militia,  Gen- 
eral Hovey  ;  the  second,  the  provost  -  marshal  for 
the  city.  Colonel  "Wells ;  and  the  third,  Brigadier- 
General  Carrington,  in  command  of  the  district 
of  Indiana.  Their  conversation  was  desultory  and 
they  had  the  appearance  of  awaiting  some  event. 

Of  the  four  men,  Governor  Morton's  personality 
was  the  most  impressive,  as  it  was  likely  to  be  in 
whatsoever  company.  The  massive  nobleness  of 
his  head  at  once  attracted  notice ;  and  his  counte- 
nance expressed  strong  intellectuality  and  inflex- 
ible determination,  tempered  by  benevolence.  The 
forehead  was  high  and  full,  across  which  strands 
of  black  hair  fell,  carelessly  displaced  by  the  rest- 
less hand  now  stroking  the  full  black  beard  ;  the 
eyes  were  dark  and  piercing,  as  if  potent  to  see 
far  beyond  the  black  wall  of  trouble  and  danger 
that  encompassed  him ;  the  nose  was  too  small  to 
be  symmetrical ;  and  the  chin  unequally  balanced 
the  brow  and  skull. 


192  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Morton  could  weigh  men's  motives  and  gauge 
their  sincerity  with  marvelous  accuracy.  In  these 
days  of  peril  and  perplexity,  caution  to  the  point 
of  suspicion  had  to  be  exercised  in  the  selection  of 
advisers,  and  his  tact  and  acumen  were  equal  to 
the  emergency.  He  acknowledged  the  patriotism 
and  loyalty  of  his  political  opponents  by  num- 
bering them  among  his  advisers,  and  trusting  to 
them  the  execution  of  his  plans.  Of  strong  polit- 
ical convictions,  he  was  no  narrow  partisan  when 
the  occasion  demanded  the  help  of  all  loyal  men. 
Consequently  he  had  their  support  and  confidence 
to  such  an  extent  that  he  brought  the  State  of 
Indiana  through  a  crisis  such  as  endangered  no 
other.  He  made  a  needful  few  the  repository  of 
state  secrets,  but  these  he  trusted  entirely. 

In  his  intercom'se  with  his  councilors  he  was 
the  genial  friend,  but  also  the  man  of  authority, 
vested  in  him  as  the  governor  of  a  great  State, 
which  he  neither  magnified  nor  disparaged. 

He  habitually  used  a  low,  well-modulated  tone  in 
conversation.  His  voice  was  a  wonderful  organ, 
the  perfect  instrument  of  an  orator.  In  public 
speaking  it  was  clarion-like,  piercing  and  far-reach- 
ing. It  rolled  in  tremendous  vehemence  over  an 
audience,  and  held  it  entranced  by  the  flow  of 
rapid  eloquence,  or  fell  to  pathetic  sweetness  that 
swept  over  their  heart-strings  like  the  fingers  of 
Saul  across  his  harp,  and  moved  them  to  tears. 

Splendid  in  invective,  scathing  in  denunciation, 
courageous   to  recklessness  in  the  expression   of 


THE  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR   A93 

his  opinions,  a  master  of  facts,  logical  in  argument, 
never  truckling  from  expediency  nor  shrinking 
from  duty,  patient  to  long-suffering,  and  just,  — 
with  such  qualities  Morton  had  few  peers  in  state- 
craft. 

He  was  the  greatest  of  that  trio — Yates,  Todd, 
and  Morton  —  on  whom  fell  responsibilities,  during 
the  Civil  War,  second  only  to  those  of  the  great 
head  of  the  nation.  Whatever  feeling  of  ill-will 
was  cherished  then  against  Morton,  time  has  left 
nothing  but  grateful  remembrance  of  faithfulness, 
courage,  and  ability  to  govern  wisely  amid  the 
distractions  of  a  second  chaos. 

The  men  who  were  the  instruments  chosen  to 
preserve  us  a  nation  were  not  from  those  living  on 
the  highest  spiritual  plane,  but  from  the  strong, 
intrepid  worldlings  accustomed  to  leading  men  by 
craft  and  virile  power.  Ardent  John  Brown,  ve- 
hement Parson  Brownlow,  calm  William  Lloyd 
Garrison,  elegant  Wendell  Phillips,  even  peevish 
Horace  Greeley,  took  a  minor  part  in  precipitating 
the  conflict,  but  in  the  crisis  made  way  for  men 
like  Grant,  Morton,  Lincoln,  —  men  of  stronger 
fibre,  lustier  energy. 

As  the  governor  sat  at  the  table,  he  glanced  once 
or  twice  at  the  round-faced  clock  on  the  wall; 
turning  to  General  Carrington,  he  said  :  — 

"  Is  n't  it  time  Grundy  was  here  to  report  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.  He  said  at  ten  o'clock ;  it  lacks  only 
a  minute  or  so  of  that  hour." 

All  waited  patiently  for  the  interval  to  pass,  and, 


194  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

before  it  was  gone,  a  gentle  rapping  was  heard  on 
the  door  which  led  into  the  outer  office. 

"Please  open  it,  Hovey,"  said  the  governor. 

Hovey  unlocked  the  door,  and  the  man  awaited 
entered.  It  was  the  tin-peddler,  known  about 
Ridgely  as  Oliver  Tapp,  and  to  the  governor  and 
his  confreres  as  J.  J.  Grundy.  After  salutations 
were  exchanged,  the  four  men  drew  closer  to  the 
table  where  the  governor  was  seated.  Tapp  laid 
before  Morton  a  number  of  papers.  These  he 
examined  carefully,  and  compared  from  time  to 
time  with  a  memorandum  he  had  at  hand.  He 
then  passed  them  to  his  colleagues,  who  glanced 
over  them.  All  looked  serious  ;  but  if  they  felt 
depressed  at  the  report  of  the  agent  of  the  secret 
service,  they  made  no  remark. 

Selecting  one  of  the  papers,  the  governor  said  to 
Tapp :  — 

"  I  am  afraid  you  are  unnecessarily  reckless, 
Mr.  Grundy,  but  you  have  certainly  made  a  thor- 
ough investigation  of  the  affairs  in  Middle  County, 
and  I  thank  you  for  it." 

"  Of  course,  there  is  more  or  less  risk  involved 
in  such  a  mission,  and  perhaps  in  some  particulars 
I  exceeded  my  authority,  but  you  remember,  sir, 
I  was  left  to  my  own  judgment.  They  were  such 
rank  Copperheads  that  I  was  determined  to  get 
into  their  most  secret  schemes.  I  therefore  com- 
menced at  the  '  Vestibule,'  and  went  on  up  through 
the  Temple,  taking  the  three  highest  degrees,  and 
I  have  the  honor  of  belonging  to  the  Grand  Coun- 


THE  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR   195 

cil.  On  my  last  trip  to  RIdgely  I  came  near  not 
getting  away,"  and  he  laughed  his  reckless  laugh. 

"  How  was  that,  Grundy  ?  "  asked  Hovey. 

"  If  it  had  n't  been  for  a  girl,  I  'd  been  a  cold 
corpse  by  now,"  and  he  detailed  with  much  feeling 
the  part  Lucetta  had  played  in  the  stirring  affairs 
of  the  township  and  in  his  rescue. 

"  There  are  a  few  loyal  men  that  can  be  trusted, 
are  there  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  a  few  among  the  old  men ;  the  young 
men  are  in  the  service  ;  and  there  are  a  few  women 
as  fearless  and  courageous  as  the  men  in  the  field." 

"  This  Wilson,"  asked  the  governor,  tapping  a 
paper  he  had  just  been  considering,  "  is  still  at  the 
head  of  affairs  in  that  county  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  he  and  Coultiss,  who  is  Grand  Com- 
mander of  the  County  Temple,  but  Harv  's  the 
'  power  behind  the  throne.'  " 

"  They  are  in  constant  communication  with 
Grand  Commander  Dodd  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  through  him,  with  Supreme 
Commander  Vallandigham  at  Windsor." 

*'  You  think  the  scheme  for  the  uprising  almost 
perfected  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  complete  to  the  most  trivial  point. 
You  would  hardly  credit  them  with  inventing  such 
fantastic  folly ;  they  have  grips  and  signs,  and  a 
distinguishing  cry  for  each  degree.  Down  in  Rif- 
fle Township,  when  they  want  to  call  a  secret  ses- 
sion they  put  up  a  big  tin  star  on  a  tree.  Yes, 
the  time  is  set  for  the  middle  of  August." 


196  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Governor  Morton's  face  was  not  moved  from  its 
accustomed  calm,  but  the  others  started  in  surprise. 

"  Tliey  have  learned  nothing  from  the  events  of 
last  summer,"  observed  Carrington. 

"  There  is  no  school  for  fools,"  said  the  adjutant- 
general. 

"You  think  their  plans  are  all  formulated, 
Grundy?"  asked  the  governor. 

"  As  well  as  they  can  be,  until  they  meet  the 
approval  of  the  Supreme  Commander,  and  you 
may  not  know  that  the  meeting  of  the  peace  com- 
missioners this  week,  at  Niagara  Falls,  will  be 
utilized  by  the  Grand  Council  to  that  end." 

"  Their  present  plans  may  be  modified  at  this 
meeting?"  observed  Morton  inquiringly. 

"  Yes,  unless  the  President  remains  firm  in  his 
decision  as  to  the  terms  of  peace." 

"  Would  it  not  be  well  if  Mr.  Grundy  would 
give  us  an  outline  of  the  scheme  as  he  has  learned 
it.  Governor  ?  "  asked  Wells.  "  He  may  give  us 
fuller  information  than  we  now  have." 

"  Perhaj)s  it  would  be  as  well,"  assented  the 
governor.     "  Proceed,  Mr.  Grundy." 

"  The  day  of  the  uprising  was  set  for  July 
20,  but  they  were  not  sufficiently  organized  and 
equipped,  so  Wilson  informed  me,  and  it  was 
postponed.  And  that  reminds  me,  there  is  an  old 
woman  down  there  that  has  a  hand  in  this  last 
business,  —  old  Mrs.  Bowles,  as  venomous  a  Cojj- 
perhead  as  ever  dragged  on  its  belly  ;  last  spring  I 
reported  her  to  you,  sir,  as  having  received  arms 


THE  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR   197 

under  the  guise  of  a  cutting-box,  and  myself  deliv- 
ering her  caps  and  cartridges.  This  time  she  was 
more  discreet,  and  I  could  find  little  against  her, 
but  she  has  evidently  been  at  her  old  tricks,"  and 
Tapp  smiled  at  the  recollection  of  the  guileless 
Liddy  Ann.  "  But  to  return  to  Harv :  he  told 
me  every  Temple  in  the  State  —  and  they  are  or- 
ganized in  forty-five  counties  —  had  been  notified 
to  move  at  a  moment's  notice  by  the  middle  of 
August.  The  plan  in  this  State  is  to  concentrate 
the  main  body  in  Indianapolis.  The  arsenal  is  to 
be  seized.  Camp  Morton  raided  and  rebel  prisoners 
released.  And  to-morrow  night,  sir,"  turning  to 
the  governor,  "  at  the  Grand  Council  the  Commit- 
tee of  Thirteen  will  be  appointed,  who  will  be  em- 
powered to  select  a  Committee  of  Ten  '  to  take 
care  of  the  governor.'  " 

Morton's  face  relaxed  slightly,  but  he  made  no 
remark. 

"  What  do  they  mean  by  that,  Grundy  ?  "  asked 
the  provost-marshal.  Wells. 

"  Murder,  in  my  opinion.  He  is  to  be  held  as  a 
hostage  for  prisoners  taken  during  the  insurrec- 
tion ;  failing  that,  he  is  to  be  made  way  with." 

"  Then  it  is  n't  definitely  decided  on  whom  this 
dutyfaUs?" 

"  No,  only  on  one  of  the  Committee  of  Ten,  and 
that  by  lot,  so  that  even  they  will  not  know  the 
person  who  draws  it." 

"  It  would  be  well  to  be  present  at  that  council, 
Grundy,"  observed  the  governor. 


198  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  I  intend  to,  sir.  And  one  of  that  Committee 
of  Thirteen,  if  I  can  manage  it." 

General  Carrington  was  not  quite  satisfied  with 
the  information  Tapp  gave  on  one  point,  and 
asked :  — 

"  Did  you  learn  the  extent  of  the  entire  order 
as  a  military  organization  ?  " 

"  In  the  Grand  Council  of  June  14  they  re- 
ported they  could  raise  an  invading  army  of  three 
hundred  thousand.  They  have  plenty  of  money  ; 
a  haK-million  dollars  was  sent  by  their  agents  in 
Canada  for  arms.  Indiana  is  divided  into  four 
military  districts,  each  under  a  general,  and  they 
claim  they  can  furnish  from  seventy-five  to  eighty 
thousand  men.  Wilson  says  Middle  County  will 
send  nine  himdred ;  but  it  won't,  by  half  that." 

"  Whom  do  they  rely  on  to  supply  the  rest  of 
this  three  hundred  thousand  ?  "  asked  the  provost- 
marshal. 

"  They  expect  to  be  joined  by  Early  from  Ken- 
tucky with  forty  thousand,  and  Price  from  Mis- 
souri with  thirty  thousand  ;  the  Temples  of  Illinois 
promise  fifty  thousand  ;  Ohio  does  n't  stipulate 
an  exact  number,  but  has  engaged  to  cooperate. 
They  have  depots  for  arms  in  Cincinnati  and  New 
Albany,  and  they  are  to  be  wagoned  to  the  rural 
districts.  Old  Dr.  Bowles  asked  me  if  I  could 
get  three  thousand  lances ;  he  seemed  to  think 
them  appropriate  for  Knights,  —  struck  with  the 
romance  of  it,  I  suppose,  but  he  did  not  propose 
to  rely  on  these  altogether,  for  a  revolver  was  to 
go  with  each  lance." 


THE  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR        199 

"  Was  this  information  communicated  to  the 
various  temples  in  writing,  Mr.  Grundy  ?  "  asked 
the  governor. 

"  Not  to  my  knowledge,  though  possibly  cipher 
was  used,  but  I  think  it  was  communicated  to  all 
verbally  by  agents." 

The  governor  spread  before  him  a  letter  he  had 
taken  from  the  table  drawer. 

"  Are  you  familiar  with  cipher,  Grundy  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  can  read  it,  not  readily,  however." 

"  Transcribe  this,  then."  And  to  Tapp's  amaze- 
ment he  put  into  his  hand  the  identical  letter  he 
had  seen  two  days  before  in  Heffren's  office  in  the 
town  of  Salem. 

"  We  have  more  than  one  way  of  obtaining  in- 
formation, Mr.  Grundy,"  was  all  Morton  said. 

Tapp  took  the  letter,  and  after  some  time  laid  it 
before  the  governor,  written  out  in  full. 

It  ran  thus  :  — 

Headquarters  10th  District, 

Grand  Marshal's  Office. 

Deputy  Marshal, — We  have  40  rifles  and  100 
pistols  for  your  township.  It  is  necessary  that 
they  are  placed  in  the  hands  of  our  brothers  imme- 
diately. Inform  your  company  that  the  arms  will  be 
ready  on  Wednesday  night.         Yours, 

A.  A.  D.  C. 
F.  W. 

Governor  Morton  read  it  through  deliberately, 
then  said  to  Tapp  :  — 


200  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Your  transcription  tallies  exactly  with  the  one 
Coffin  made  to-day." 

Tapp  looked  in  admiration  at  the  man  who  was 
slowly  and  patiently  picking  up  the  smallest  threads 
of  the  conspiracy,  and  winding  them  into  a  stout 
coil  by  which  to  throttle  the  conspirators. 

"  There  is  one  hitch  in  all  these  plans,"  said 
Tapp. 

"  What  is  that?  "  inquired  Wells. 

"There  is  no  reliable  head.  Vallandighara  is 
a  rash  enthusiast ;  Dodd  is  a  man  of  straw ;  Bowles 
is  too  old ;  and  Bullet 's  in  prison.  Price  and  Early 
would  lose  their  heads  in  this  sort  of  a  thing." 

"  What  about  Jeff  Davis  ?  "  asked  Hovey. 

"  Oh,  he  is  fully  informed  by  an  agent  sent  to 
Richmond,  a  fellow  named  Dickerson.  He  has 
never  had  perfect  confidence  in  the  order  ;  and  if  he 
fails  them,  as  they  now  think,  they  will  join  forces 
with  the  renegades  in  Canada  and  form  a  new 
federation,  and  will  call  it  the  Northwestern  Con- 
federacy." 

The  governor  smiled,  and  the  other  men  received 
this  intelligence  as  prompted  by  their  tempera- 
ments. General  Carrington  laughed  heartily  at 
the  effrontery  of  it ;  General  Hovey's  face  flushed 
with  anger,  and  he  muttered  invectives  wrathful 
and  profane ;  Wells  looked  incredulous.  The  gov- 
ernor alone  remained  unmoved  ;  for  he  had  unrav- 
eled so  many  plots  and  counterplots  it  had  become 
as  easy  as  unraveling  Mrs.  Bowles's  knitting. 

"  There  is  another  matter  of  which  I  would  like 


THE  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR        201 

to  speak,  if  you  will  pardon  the  personal  nature  of 
it,"  said  Tapp,  with  evident  reluctance.  "  You 
know  I  have  visited  all  the  disaffected  districts, 
and  I  find  another  grievance,  and  that  exclusively 
among  loyal  men,  —  extremists,  I  might  say.  They 
strongly  criticise  your  selecting  as  advisers,  and 
honoring  with  your  confidence,  men  from  the  other 
party,  '  War  Democrats,'  and  openly  complain  at 
the  trust  you  repose  in  them." 

The  governor  listened  attentively,  and  then  said 
firmly  :  — 

"  You  were  perfectly  rfght  to  tell  me,  Grundy. 
But,  when  I  am  convinced  of  his  loyalty,  I  ques- 
tion no  man's  politics  in  such  times  as  these."  ^ 

The  governor  mused  a  few  moments,  as  if  con- 
sidering this  new  source  of  trouble,  then,  rousing, 
said :  — 

"It  is  growing  late,  gentlemen.  I  will  detain 
you  no  longer." 

Mr.  Morton  remained  alone  in  the  state-house 

an  hour  longer,  busy  at  his  desk.     On  leaving  the 

building,  he  had  taken  but  a  step  or  two  into  the 

grounds,  which  were  ill-lighted  and  full  of  shrubs 

and  trees,   when   a   shot   rang  out   and  a  bullet 

whizzed  by  his  head.     He  paused  an  instant  and 

looked  about  for  the  would-be  assassin,  then  calmly 

proceeded  to  the  Bates  House,  where  Carrington's 

headquarters   were,   and  reported  the   matter   to 

him. 

^  Verbatim. 


CHAPTER  XXII 
THE  MEETING  OF  THE   GRAIO)  COUNCIL 

The  commanders  of  the  county  temples  had 
been  notified  in  cipher  that  a  meeting  of  the  great- 
est importance  would  be  held  in  the  printing-office 
of  Grand  Commander  Dodd,  at  Indianapolis,  on 
the  evening  of  Tuesday,  July  28,  and  such  com- 
manders of  branch  temples  as  might  be  useful  in 
a  very  serious  crisis  were  ordered  to  be  present. 
The  meeting  was  of  such  importance  that  not  a 
hint  of  it  must  be  dropped  to  the  masses  of  the 
faithful,  but  kept  inviolate  by  the  chosen  few. 

Tapp  had  been  duly  notified  of  this  meeting  on 
the  first  day  of  his  arrival  at  Ridgely,  before  he 
had  gone  to  Mrs.  Bowles's.  He  had  met  Wilson  at 
the  little  wooden  post-office,  in  the  presence  of  the 
assembled  loafers,  who  were  tilted  back  in  their 
chairs  against  the  side  of  the  building,  protected 
from  the  July  sun  by  the  deep  shadow  it  cast,  and 
chewing  tobacco  as  placidly  as  cows  do  their  cuds. 
Occasionally  a  drowsy  word  was  dropped  as  from 
a  man  talking  in  his  sleep,  while  the  company 
waited  for  the  hack  to  bring  the  tri-weekly  mail 
from  Crofton.  The  ring  of  horseshoes  sounded 
sharply  from  the  rear  of  the  smithy,  where  others 


THE  MEETING  OF  THE  GRAND  COUNCIL    203 

were  playing  quoits,  and  occasionally  a  somnolent 
loafer  would  rouse  and  drag  himself  off  to  see  how 
the  game  was  progressing. 

In  one  of  these  slight  diversions  Harv  said  aside 
to  Tapp :  — 

"  I  want  to  talk  to  you.  Can  you  drive  my  way  ? 
You  go  first." 

Tapp  replied,  "  All  right,"  and  set  off  on  the 
dusty  street  that  dipped  down  the  hill  to  Honey 
Creek.  Harv  followed  a  few  moments  later  and 
overtook  him  at  the  ford,  where  he  began  abruptly : 

"  I  had  a  notice  from  the  General  Secretary  that 
all  of  us  commanders  must  be  in  Indianapolis  the 
28th.  Something  important  up,  I  reckon.  I  can't 
go ;  I  've  got  threshing  that  day.  But  there 's 
nothing  in  your  way,  so  you'd  better  go.  As 
a  member  of  the  Supreme  Council  of  Kentucky, 
you'd  be  more  than  welcome.  Coultiss  can't  go 
neither  ;  he  's  threatened  with  typhoid  fever." 

Tapp  accepted  the  mission,  and  was  given  the 
password  and  a  line  of  recommendation.  The  next 
night  he  was  hunted  like  vermin  by  the  very  man 
for  whom  he  had  agreed  to  stand  substitute  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Grand  Council. 

Harv  never  dreamed  of  Tapp  having  the  temer- 
ity to  carry  out  this  plan  of  representing  him ; 
therefore  he  made  no  attempt  to  notify  Dodd :  nor 
could  he  quite  believe  Mrs.  Bowles's  suspicions  in 
regard  to  him  correct,  although  he  had  so  far 
yielded  to  her  will  as  to  try  to  apprehend  him. 
Not  finding  a  trace  of  him,  nor  any  other  suspicious 


204  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

fact  against  him,  he  concluded  it  was  only  old  Mrs. 
Bowles's  prejudice  against  Tapj)  as  a  man,  such  as 
she  held,  as  they  well  knew,  against  them  all. 

The  hour  of  ten  o'clock  on  Tuesday  night  saw 
Tapp  climbing  the  narrow,  dirty  stairs  that  led  to 

the  fourth  floor  of  a  dingy  building  on  W street 

in  the  capital.  When  he  reached  a  door  profusely 
decorated  with  black  thumb-marks  in  printer's  ink, 
he  knew  he  was  at  the  appointed  place. 

He  was  admitted  to  an  outer  room  by  a  door- 
keeper, with  whom  he  entered  into  a  short  colloquy. 
At  the  committee-room  door  the  password  was 
demanded. 

"  Ba-YARD,"  said  Tapp  unhesitatingly,  strongly 
accenting  the  last  syllable,  which  was  the  test  of 
membership. 

When  he  entered  this  second  room,  —  a  dingy 
private  office,  which  was  very  small,  with  one  win- 
dow overlooking  the  street,  —  he  found  a  company 
of  men  gathered  there. 

The  meeting  was  not  a  formal  one,  but  had  been 
hastily  called  together  for  consultation,  owing  to 
the  serious  failure  of  the  plans  of  the  week  before. 
Only  Dodd,  the  Grand  Commander,  and  Heffren, 
Deputy  Grand  Commander,  had  authority  to  call 
such  a  meeting. 

Among  those  present  were  four  generals  of  the 
order,  and  the  trusted  heads  of  a  dozen  or  more 
county  temples.  Middle  County  was  not  repre- 
sented, as  Tapp  was  relieved  to  see. 


THE  MEETING  OF  THE  GRAND  COUNCIL    205 

Tlie  meeting  came  to  order,  but  the  business 
proceeded  informally.  The  men  were  scattered 
about  the  room,  seated  or  standing.  The  air  was 
heavy  with  tobacco  smoke  and  the  smell  of  printer's 
ink.  Tapp  took  a  position  near  the  door  of  en- 
trance, leaning  against  the  wall.  In  front  of  him 
stood  a  burly  man  who  completely  hid  him  from 
view. 

Dodd  presided  over  the  meeting,  and  Harrison 
acted  as  secretary.  The  names  of  the  Grand 
Council  were  called,  among  them  that  of  Harv 
Wilson,  who  was  absent. 

"  We  are  called  together  here,"  said  Dodd,  "  to 
decide  a  very  serious  matter.  To-morrow  an  ex- 
pose will  appear  in  the  '  Journal.'  BuUett  is  even 
now  under  arrest  as  a  United  States  prisoner,  ap- 
prehended on  information  of  spies.  There  's  a 
traitor  in  the  Council  somewhere.  The  time  has 
come  for  prompt  action.  The  meeting  is  open  to 
any  gentleman  who  has  anything  to  say  pertinent 
to  the  subject  under  consideration." 

A  tall,  gaunt  man  arose  and  said :  — 

"You  know  I  advised  getting  rid  of  Coffin  at 
the  June  meeting  of  the  Grand  Council.  How  any 
one  here  could  have  admitted  him  to  the  Council 
passes  my  understanding.  I  am  convinced  he  is  a 
United  States  detective.  He,  and  the  one  man 
who,  next  to  that  monster  usurper  in  the  White 
House,  is  our  greatest  enemy,  —  Morton,  —  should 
be  taken  care  of,  put  out  of  the  way !  And  I  would 
suggest  that  the  Committee  of  Thirteen  be  empow- 


206  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

ered  at  once  to  appoint  a  Committee  of  Ten  for 
this  purpose."     And  the  gentleman  subsided. 

"  But  the  trouble  is,  would  n't  that  be  regarded 
as  murder  by  most  people  ? "  bluntly  asked  the 
burly  man  in  front  of  Tapp,  who  seemed  unpre- 
pared to  go  to  the  length  of  the  speaker  and  such 
fanatics  as  Bowles,  Dodd,  and  Milligan. 

"  For  the  good  of  the  cause,  man,  tyrants  and 
traitors  must  be  removed !  "  interrupted  the  chair- 
man. 

"  Well,  you  may  assassinate,  if  you  like ;  I  'm 
not  of  that  stripe.     I  'm  in  for  fair  fight." 

"  Gentlemen,  gentlemen,  we  must  have  '  union  ' 
among  ourselves,  if  not  the  States,  if  we  do  effec- 
tive work,"  said  Heffren,  with  the  Judas-like  smile 
and  suavity  characteristic  of  him.  He  might  easily 
have  been  a  leader  but  for  some  weakness  of  his 
moral  fibre  that  caused  him  to  yield  under  great 
pressure.  He  was  not  strong  enough  to  face 
bravely  the  results  of  his  own  treason,  and  added 
to  cowardice  the  meanness  of  turning  informer. 

"  I  thought  this  organization  was  for  the  pur- 
pose of  resisting  the  draft  and  stopping  this  war," 
observed  Tapp,  pacifically. 

"  So  it  was,  young  man,"  answered  the  gaunt 
man  that  had  spoken  before, 

"  But  there  are  greater  issues  behind  it,  Dodd," 
he  said,  turning  to  him.  "  You  're  fully  posted ; 
tell  us  exactly  how  affairs  stand." 

"  Until  this  evening's  paper  came  out,  I  thought 
everything  was   going  on  all   right,"  said   Dodd 


THE  MEETING  OF  THE  GRAND  COUNCIL    207 

ruefully.  "As  you  know,  I  went  to  the  Peace 
Conference  at  Niagara  Falls  and  had  a  private 
conference  with  Clay,  Holcombe,  and  Saunders, 
and  we  enjoyed  many  a  laugh  at  the  doddering 
marplot  old  Abe  sent.  We  managed  to  let  Clay 
and  those  fellows  know  a  good  deal,  and  they  were 
in  full  sympathy  with  us.  I  sent  a  full  report  of 
our  organization  to  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
Confederacy  by  them." 

"How  did  these  men  personally  receive  the 
cause  ?  " 

"  Very  kindly,  and  as  furthering  their  own. 
They  did  not  offer  their  help,  but  would  be  glad 
of  ours.  They  agreed  with  President  Davis  that, 
'  the  war  would  end  when  their  independence  was 
recognized,  and  that  they  would  have  or  extermi- 
nation.' " 

"  Selfish  devils !  They  care  precious  little  for 
our  necks !  "  interjected  Tapp,  who  instantly  saw 
he  had  struck  a  false  chord  and  tried  another 
move  to  restore  harmony. 

"  You  went  from  there  to  Chicago,  Mr.  Dodd  ?  " 

"  Yes.  The  secret  meetings  of  that  convention 
did  more  effective  work  than  the  public  ones.  We 
decided,  for  one  thing,  to  set  a  date  for  the  general 
uprising  of  the  order." 

The  news  was  received  quietly  by  most,  as  if  it 
were  long  anticipated,  but  to  a  few  it  came  in  the 
nature  of  a  shock. 

"  What 's  the  date  ?  "  asked  Tapp's  portly  neigh- 
bor. 


208  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  The  16th  of  August." 

"  How  do  you  propose  to  accomplish  it  ?  "  asked 
a  frowzy  man  perched  on  a  printer's  stool,  who 
had  hitherto  been  silent. 

"  Well,  we  '11  have  to  look  to  the  individual 
members  of  the  order,  especially  the  commanders 
of  the  temples.  They  must  be  brave  and  prompt. 
We  '11  not  let  the  country  members  in  general 
know  too  soon,  for  they  might  back  out  with  too 
much  time  to  think  about  it.  It 's  got  to  be  sharp 
work !  The  men  must  be  in  readiness  to  move  at 
a  moment's  notice,  and  will  be  collected  in  secret 
camps  the  night  before,  when  necessary.  We  will 
concentrate  the  troops  here." 

"You  will  surely  have  some  project  to  mask  this 
movement,  to  divert  suspicion?"  exclaimed  Tapp, 
surprised  at  Dodd's  infatuation.  "  You  don't  think 
the  Home  Guard  or  the  Regulars  will  permit  it 
without  opposition  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  hope  to  influence  the  State  Central  Com- 
mittee to  call  a  mass  meeting  here  for  that  date. 
I  will  notify  by  circulars  the  commanders  of  the 
Temples,  who  will  be  ordered  to  come,  armed  and 
ready,  as  fast  as  possible.  I  will  take  it  on  myself 
to  release  the  prisoners  at  Camp  Morton,  who  will 
give  us  substantial  help.  We  will  seize  the  arsenal 
and  the  person  of  the  governor,  whom  we  will 
turn  over  to  the  Committee  of  Ten." 

"  How  can  you  do  all  this  on  your  own  responsi- 
bility?" asked  Tapp  quietly. 

"  By  the  power  of  my  official  capacity  as  Grand 
Commander  of  this  State  !  " 


THE  MEETING  OF  THE  GRAND  COUNCIL    209 

"  I  was  not  aware  it  was  so  great,"  said  Tapp 
apologetically. 

"  Yes  ;  it  is  vested  in  me  to  lead  the  uprising  in 
this  State,"  and  his  eyes  shone  with  gratified  vanity. 

"  When  I  stick  my  head  in  a  hornet's  nest," 
said  Tapp's  neighbor,  "  I  want  to  know  how  I  'm 
goin'  to  get  out  without  gettin'  stung!  Unfold 
your  plans  further,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Dodd." 

"  Oh,  we  '11  have  plenty  of  outside  help.  While 
we  are  at  work  here  at  Indianapolis,  Captain  Hines 
will  release  the  prisoners  at  Johnson's  Island. 
The  southern  districts  will  call  their  members  to 
arms  to  assist  Buckner,  who  will  come  in  from 
Kentucky.  Price  will  advance  from  Missouri,  and 
Illinois  and  Ohio  will  be  ready  at  notice.  Oh,  it 's 
thoroughly  planned  and  cannot  fail !  " 

Tapp  looked  on  him,  astonished  at  his  assurance. 
He  concluded  he  must  be  crazed,  or  a  colossal 
egotist,  to  imagine  himself  capable  of  successfully 
executing  so  Napoleonic  a  scheme. 

"  Do  you  for  an  instant  think  you  can  accom- 
plish this,  with  the  military  sleeping  on  their  arms, 
Morton  fully  informed,  and  an  expose  in  cold  type 
at  this  moment  ?  "  he  asked,  amazed  at  his  fatuity. 

"  It  remains  to  be  seen  how  much  they  know  to 
expose.  Probably  it  is  not  more  than  the  disclo- 
sure of  the  ritual,  or  signs  and  grips.  That  won't 
amount  to  much.  I  '11  be  sworn  the  grand  object 
is  not  known." 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  fumbling  at  the 
door,  which  caused  some  uneasiness,  for  several 


210  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

persons  showed  signs  of  taking  sudden  departure. 
The  door  was  opened  to  admit  a  newcomer,  whom 
Tapp  was  horrified  to  see  was  Wilson.  Two  or 
three  men  took  occasion  to  leave  on  his  entrance, 
and  Tapp  slipped  out  with  them.  So  well  screened 
was  he  by  his  portly  neighbor  that  he  was  not 
observed  by  Harv,  who  eventually  took  the  place 
on  the  Committee  of  Thirteen  Tapp  had  jocularly 
chosen  for  himself,  and  that  very  night  helped 
name  the  Committee  of  Ten  "  to  take  care  of  the 
governor." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

MRS.    NEAL's   guest 

Frank  Neal  was  duly  discharged,  and  returned 
home  by  the  middle  of  July.  He  was  somewhat 
sobered  by  his  experiences  in  the  service,  was  more 
manly,  and  had  a  closer  grip  on  his  impulses ;  he 
would  hardly  have  repeated  the  scene  in  Liberty 
Church  now,  even  under  provocation ;  but  nothing 
could  entirely  change  his  active,  lively  tempera- 
ment. His  mother  had  looked  forward  to  having 
her  boy  with  her,  but  he  himself  seemed  to  have 
quite  different  plans.  He  was  gone  all  day  and 
every  day,  and  never  explained  the  nature  of  his 
occupation.  There  was  a  distinct  separation  at 
this  time  between  neighbors  differing  politically. 
All  the  homely  social  gatherings  had  been  aban- 
doned ;  the  Fourth  of  July  barbecue  had  not  been 
held.  It  was  a  time  of  intense  political  feeling, 
for  there  were  three  distinct  parties  in  the  field. 
McClellan  was  the  ostensible  candidate  of  the  De- 
mocracy, while  Lincoln  had  been  nominated  for 
reelection.  Hundreds  of  War  Democrats,  fearfid 
of  a  change  of  administration  at  what  seemed  the 
critical  point  of  the  war,  openly  supported  Lincoln. 
Campaign  meetings  were  almost  riots.     Something 


212  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

of  stJlen  brooding  in  the  political  sky  gave  portent 
of  a  terrific  storm,  and,  like  the  gathering  of  clouds 
before  the  impact  which  lets  loose  the  thunderbolt, 
there  was  much  hurrying  to  and  fro  of  Harv's 
fuglemen,  over  whom  Harv's  control  was  now  com- 
plete. Frank  watched  these  men  closely,  and  drew 
his  own  conclusions  of  future  trouble. 

He  had  made,  as  in  friendliness  bound,  several 
calls  at  the  cabin,  and  would  have  been  more  than 
pleased  at  the  outward  change  in  Lucetta,  had  he 
not  been  absorbed  in  other  more  exciting  affairs. 
The  mental  change  in  the  girl  had  been  quite  as 
great,  but  when  did  the  mental  graces  of  a  woman 
ever  appeal  to  a  man  with  the  potency  of  physical 
beauty  ?  The  desire  of  the  eye  must  first  be  grati- 
fied ;  and  fools  are  quite  as  satisfying,  if  they  be 
pretty  fools,  at  a  certain  stage  of  man's  existence. 

One  day  early  in  August,  Frank  came  in  to  din- 
ner and  said,  as  if  he  were  asking  the  most  ordinary 
favor,  and  without  a  sign  of  embarrassment :  — 

"  Mother,  I  wish  you  would  ask  Miss  Abbot  and 
Lucetta  to  spend  the  whole  of  next  week  here." 

"  'T  seems  to  me  you  see  enough  of  the  girl  with- 
out my  doing  that,"  said  his  mother,  with  the  innate 
jealousy  a  woman  feels  toward  one  of  her  sex  in 
whom  her  "  men-folks  "  take  too  lively  an  interest, 
and  which,  doubtless.  Eve  felt  for  her  first  daugh- 
ter-in-law. 

"  Why,  mother,  I've  hardly  seen  Lucetta  at  all 
since  I  've  been  home.  You  know  I  've  been  too 
busy." 


MRS.  NEAL'S  GUEST  213 

"  Yes,  awful  busy.  Too  busy  to  tell  your  own 
mother  what  you 're  doin'."  Secrets  were  another 
cause  of  discontent. 

"  Will  it  satisfy  you,  mother,  if  I  say  to  you  in 
strictest  confidence  that,  if  I  were  to  tell  you  what 
I  'm  doing,  I  would  betray  a  trust  fit  to  hang 
me  ?  I  have  my  orders,  and  those  a  soldier  obeys. 
As  to  Lucetta,  I  've  quite  another  motive  for  want- 
ing her  here,  which  you  '11  find  out  soon  enough. 
Though  I  must  say  Lucetta  's  got  to  be  a  mighty 
good-looking  girl,"  he  added  mischievously,  watch- 
ing her  face  cloud  and  her  lips  puff  out  in  silent 
disapproval. 

Being  fully  aware  of  the  condition  of  affairs  in 
the  neighborhood,  Mrs.  Neal  was  able  to  guess 
pretty  accurately  at  Frank's  motives. 

"  I  should  think  it  'd  be  mighty  unpleasant  for 
Lucetta  to  visit  here  when  her  pap  all  but  mur- 
dered us  in  our  beds,"  she  could  not  refrain  from 
saying,  with  a  touch  of  resentful  spite  the  unfor- 
giving recipient  feels  toward  an  unloved  benefactor. 
She  could  not  overlook  Lucetta's  parentage. 

"  Mother,  you  don't  really  mean  what  you  seem 
to.  After  all  she  did  for  us !  Besides,  Lucy 's 
done  more  than  a  dozen  men  for "  —  And  he 
broke  off  abruptly. 

"If  it  comes  to  scolding  your  own  mother  for 
that  chit,  I  know  what  '11  come  next.  You  '11  be 
wanting  to  marry  her,  and  disgrace  us  all." 

"  Marry  ?  marry  ?  I  have  n't  heart  to  even  give 
it  thought,  when  the  country 's  going  to  pieces,  with 


214  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

cutthroats  and  traitors  plotting  its  ruin  at  our 
very  doors,"  said  Frank  hotly.  "  Not  that  Lucy 
is  not  a  good  enough  girl  for  any  man,"  he  said 
sturdily,  an  immense  concession  for  one  of  his  sex, 
and  his  mother  recognized  it,  and  said  aggravat- 
ingly :  — 

"  I  thought  so !  " 

Frank,  exasperated,  said  no  more  but  turned  to 
leave  the  room,  and,  as  he  opened  the  door  and 
passed  over  the  threshold,  said  coldly :  — 

"  We  '11  say  no  more  about  it,  mother.  Sheriff 
Hale  will  take  her  in."  And  he  walked  off  down 
toward  the  road  to  the  creek,  leaving  Mrs.  Neal 
vexed  with  motherly  jealousy,  and  repentant  with 
motherly  compunction. 

Mrs.  Neal  thought  intently  for  some  moments 
about  their  irritating  difference,  and  then  said 
aloud :  — 

"  It 's  nature,  I  reckon.  But  I  do  hope  Frank  — 
First  that  Swazey,  then  that  Tapp,  now —  Well, 
I  '11  go  and  ask  her  myself,"  which  was  surely  as 
great  a  self -surrender  as  any  one  is  capable  of, 
be  she  of  high  or  low  degree.  Moreover,  she  was 
a  mother,  —  one  who  receives  a  most  poignant 
wound  when  she  is  supplanted  in  the  affection  of 
her  son  by  another  woman. 

Frank  proceeded  to  the  creek,  where  he  got  into 
his  "  dugout,"  and  by  his  strong  use  of  the  paddle, 
to  which  irritation  lent  force,  soon  covered  the  half 
mile  to  the  Whittaker  landing. 

W  hen  he  reached  the  door,  Lucetta  was  sitting 


MRS.  NEAL'S  GUEST  215 

within  the  room  sewing  busily,  and  until  he  spoke 
was  unconscious  of  his  presence. 

"  AVhy,  Frank,  you  walk  as  light  as  an  Indian  ! 
I  never  heard  you.     Come  in." 

Frank  entered,  and  when  he  was  seated,  asked 
"  if  the  schoolmarm  was  at  home  ?  " 

"  No,  she  had  to  go  to  Crof  ton  to  obtain  her 
license,  and  she  thought  she  might  as  well  visit 
some  of  her  friends  in  town  before  school  begins 
in  September.     She  '11  be  gone  two  weeks." 

"  And  you  're  not  afraid  to  stay  here  alone  ? 
You  ought  to  be  a  soldier,  Lucy." 

"  I  'd  like  to  be,  Frank.  If  I  were  a  man  I 
would  be.  How  men  can  skulk  and  hide  and  be 
so  afraid  of  the  draft  passes  me." 

"  That 's  not  the  worst  of  it,  Lucy,"  said  Frank 
gravely.  "  If  they  did  n't  skulk  and  hide  for  such 
treasonable  purposes,  the  mere  matter  of  coward- 
ice would  n't  count.  The  way  the  women  have 
taken  it  up,  too,  is  a  wonder  to  me ;  there  's  old 
Mrs.  Bowles ;  she  could  have  her  neck  stretched 
for  what  she  's  already  done  and  intends  to  do.  It 
is  n't  a  woman's  business." 

"  That 's  just  where  you  are  mistaken,  Frank. 
You  men  seem  to  think  women  can't  feel  patriot- 
ism, or  enthusiasm  for  a  cause  ;  that  such  virtues 
belong  only  to  men.  I  never  have  read  much,  but 
Miss  Abbot  has  been  teaching  me  history ;  and 
there  never  has  been,  no,  nor  ever  will  be,  a  war 
that  we  women  did  not  feel  the  right  and  wrong  of 
it  as  strongly  as  men.     We  must  bear  it  passively, 


216  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

and  stay  at  home  in  that  suspense  which  often  ends 
in  slow  heart-break  that  is  worse  than  death  in 
battle.  Don't  you  know,  Frank,  if  we  could  be 
in  the  thick  of  it,  we  'd  feel  the  fighting  frenzy  as 
keenly  as  you  ?  All  men  don't  fight  well.  Ours 
is  the  cruelest  part  in  war,  to  receive  the  dead 
and  bury  them  from  sight ;  to  see  the  danger  and 
ruin  that  threatens  all  around,  and  feel  that  we 
are  powerless  utterly !  In  such  times,  men  push 
women  behind  them,  forget  them  or  sneer  at  them, 
and  the  flimsy  veil  of  courtsey  is  dropped  entirely." 

Frank  was  abashed  for  a  moment  at  this  pas- 
sionate outburst,  and  felt  that  his  mission  as  pro- 
tector of  the  weak  was  a  sinecure.  He  did  not 
know  that  it  was  the  overflow  of  thoughts  which 
had  occupied  her  at  her  sewing,  when  a  woman 
who  is  at  all  reflective  will  ponder  on  all  manner 
of  unforbidden  themes  that  rarely  find  utterance. 
Frank  had  unwittingly  opened  the  sluice  -  gates, 
and  out  rushed  Lucetta's  broodings  in  a  vehement 
flood. 

But  he  rallied  his  manly  vanity,  and  said  pa- 
tronizingly :  — 

"  But  you  see,  Lucy,  they  can't  handle  a  mus- 
ket or  sword.  Most  of  'em  faint  at  the  sight  of 
blood." 

"  Yes,  some  do.  But  it  is  a  woman's  work  to 
wash  away  that  blood  and  bind  up  those  wounds, 
—  how  well,  you  ought  to  know.  The  loyal  women 
of  the  North  have  helped  the  Union  cause  in  this 
dreadful  war.     Why,  in  this  very  county  twenty 


MRS.  NEAL'S  GUEST  217 

women  are  running  their  farms,  ploughing,  plant- 
ing, and  harvesting,  just  like  men.  It  is  n't  '  their 
work,'  but  they  can  do  it  when  it  must  be  done." 

"  That 's  so,  Lucy.  If  these  cowardly  brutes 
about  here  who  won't  go  to  the  front  would  stand 
by  the  government  half  as  well,  —  which  they  don't, 
mind  you,  —  this  war  would  soon  be  over.  The 
rebels  themselves  have  exhausted  their  resources, 
and  their  only  hope  is  help  from  these  valiant 
skulkers,  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle.  Well, 
the  test  of  courage  and  loyalty  will  soon  come, 
and  that 's  what  I  'm  here  to  talk  to  you  about." 

He  proceeded  to  explain  the  existing  conditions, 
and  the  inevitable  issue,  at  which  Lucy  showed  no 
surprise  ;  and  he  finished  by  saying  :  — 

"  It  is  n't  at  all  safe  for  you,  or  any  woman,  to 
stay  here  alone  for  at  least  two  weeks.  By  then, 
we  think,  the  danger  will  be  past." 

"  I  shall  stay,"  said  Lucetta  qviietly. 

"  But,  Lucy,  that  is  foolhardy,  after  all  I  've 
told  you." 

"  That  does  n't  affect  me  personally." 

"  But  it  may,  and  that  vitally.  No,  you  've  got 
to  go  !  "  he  said  sternly. 

She  looked  at  him  steadily  and  answered  :  — 

"  That  is  a  word  no  one  on  earth  has  a  right  to 
use  to  me.  I  am  over  eighteen,  and  there  is  no 
one  to  decide  my  line  of  action  but  myself.  I 
shall  stay.     Besides,  I  'm  not  afraid." 

" But,  Lucy,"  he  pleaded,  —  "I  don't  mean  to 
dictate ;    I  only  had   in   mind  your   safety,  —  it 


218  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

will  be  like  courting  danger  to  stay  here,  even 
with  Miss  Abbot ;  but  alone  —  If  only  mother 
would  "  — 

He  stopped  abruptly,  warned  by  the  flush  which 
rose  to  Lucetta's  face  that  she  had  jumped  to  the 
right  conclusion,  —  his  mother's  unwillingness  to 
have  her  under  her  roof,  even  in  time  of  danger. 

"  Confound  it  all !  "  he  said  roughly,  angry  at 
his  own  lack  of  tact.  "  Why  don't  you  do  what 
I  want  you  to  ?  First  mother,  then  you !  It 's 
enough  to  make  a  man  hate  you  women,  the  per- 
verse way  you  act !  Why,  God  only  knows,  —  I 
don't." 

And  he  snatched  his  cap,  and  was  ready  to  rush 
from  the  house.  At  the  door  a  sight  met  him  that 
made  his  jaw  drop  in  ridiculous  amazement. 

Down  the  road,  as  far  as  his  young  eyes  could 
see,  he  spied  an  old  horse  jogging  along  easily,  and 
on  its  back  a  woman. 

"  I  '11  be  shot  if  it  ain't  mother !  " 

And  he  subsided  into  a  chair  with  a  resigned 
air  that  told  plainly  his  inability  to  comprehend 
the  sex, 

Lucetta  turned  her  eyes  toward  the  same  object, 
and,  for  some  perplexing  reason,  began  to  cry. 

"  Good  Lord,  Lucy !  what  're  you  crying  about 
now  ?  You  never  shed  a  tear,  I  '11  be  bound,  that 
night  you  warned  the  sheriff." 

"  You  are  so  rough,  Frank !  and  besides  you  just 
as  good  as  told  me  your  mother  wouldn't  have 
me  in  the  house." 


MRS.  NEAL'S  GUEST  219 

"  Why,  I  did  n't  do  any  such  thing !  Here  she 
comes  now,  to  invite  you  herself,  I  '11  bet  a  ten- 
dollar  greenback." 

Lucetta  looked  down  the  road,  and,  as  the  rather 
stern  face  of  Mrs.  Neal  came  well  into  view,  her 
own  hardened,  and  she  said  coldly :  — 

"  She  is  coming  to  say  that  I  need  n't  expect 
anything  of  the  kind.  I  '11  go  to  the  sheriff's  first, 
anyway,  if  I  have  to  go." 

Frank  couldn't  believe  his  ears.  This  gentle, 
quiet  girl,  now  so  defiant,  whom  he  had  thought 
almost  spiritless,  he  had  formerly  passed  by  for 
the  "jolly"  girls  because  they  had  more  "go." 
None  of  these  would  have  stood  out  so  resolutely. 
He  twirled  his  cap  in  perplexity.  He  began  to 
feel  as  if  caught  between  two  opposing  skirmish 
lines,  and,  expecting  a  lively  engagement  if  Lu- 
cetta and  his  mother  came  together,  he  meditated 
retreat. 

"  You  don't  know  anything  about  it,"  he  said, 
in  reply  to  the  first  part  of  her  last  speech.  "  But, 
if  she  asks  you,  promise  me  you  '11  go." 

He  was  so  urgent,  she  looked  into  his  eager  face 
and  his  clear  blue  eyes,  which  pleaded  earnestly 
with  her,  but  expressed  nothing  more  than  anxiety 
for  her  weKare. 

"  Believe  me,  it  is  for  your  safety  I  ask  it.  Will 
you  promise  ?  " 

"  Yes,  if  she  asks  me,"  was  the  reluctant  answer 
Lucetta  gave,  compelled  in  spite  of  herself. 

"  But,  Lucy,"  demanded  the  boy,  "  why  could  n't 


220  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

you  have  said  so  in  the  first  place  and  saved  all 
this  fuss?  I  never  was  so  nearly  mad  at  you," 
and  he  laughed  blithely. 

"  I  don't  know  why,  Frank,"  replied  the  girl 
simply. 

By  this  time  Mrs.  Neal  had  reached  the  big  gate, 
and  Frank  hastened  out  to  help  her  dismount. 

"  I  've  sounded  her,  mother,  and  I  don't  think 
she  wants  to  come,"  he  said  craftily.  "  I  wish  she 
would,  to  keep  you  company.  I  '11  have  to  be 
away  most  of  the  week." 

Now  Mrs.  Neal  was  a  woman  who,  while  not  a 
hectoring  one,  liked  to  have  her  favors  gratefully 
accepted  when  she  took  the  trouble  to  offer  them, 
which  usually  she  was  more  than  willing  to  do. 
But  in  this  case  something  undefinable  held  her 
back ;  she  felt  a  reluctance  she  could  not  account 
for,  or  rather  would  not.  She  had  long  since  for- 
given the  injury  done  to  them  by  Lucetta's  father. 
It  was  wiped  out  by  the  good  works  of  the  daughter 
and  the  death  of  the  parent,  but  there  had  been 
little  or  no  intercourse  between  them  since  that 
calamity,  now  a  year  past. 

She  dismounted  and  was  soon  in  the  house,  and 
Frank  walked  down  the  little  footpath  toward  the 
creek,  whistling  cheerfully. 

"What's  this  Frank  tells  me?"  were  Mrs. 
Neal's  first  words.  "  He  says  it 's  dangerous,  and 
you  goin'  to  stay  here,"  as  if  her  son  were  an  oracle 
whose  words  could  not  be  disputed.  "  I  'd  like  the 
best  in  the  world  to  have  you  next  week.     It  '11  be 


MRS.  NEAL'S  GUEST  221 

lonesome-like,  with  Abner  away  thresMn'  about  the 
neighborhood,  and  Frank  gone,  too.  We  '11  have 
threshers,  too,  a  Friday." 

Both  drew  a  little  sigh  of  relief,  characteristic  of 
women  when  an  expected  unpleasantness  passes  by 
harmlessly. 

They  looked  into  each  other's  eyes,  —  the  one 
with  anxious  questioning,  the  other  with  timid  ap- 
peal.    They  understood,  if  Frank  did  not. 

"  If  you  want  me,  and  I  can  help,  I  '11  go," 
said  Lucetta  at  last,  gently. 

"Might  as  well  go  now,"  urged  Mrs.  Neal, — 
"  while  the  horse  is  here.  Old  Vick  carries  dou- 
ble." 

Relieved  at  the  way  the  affair  had  ended,  Lu- 
cetta quickly  made  her  small  preparations,  packing 
a  change  of  clothing  into  a  little  carpet-bag,  the 
design  upon  which  seemed  made  of  one  big  red 
flower.  She  covered  the  ooals,  made  fast  the  door, 
and  was  ready.  Soon  they  were  ambling  back  to 
Neal's,  and  Frank,  catching  sight  of  them  as  they 
rode  through  the  iron-weed  standing  thick  in  the 
sandy  creek-bottom,  gave  an  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise and  said  aloud :  — 

"Well,  mother's  a  good  one!  It  didn't  take 
her  long  to  make  the  girl  do  what  she  wanted. 
And  Lucy, — well,  Lucy  's  a  nice  girl." 

And  he  looked  after  them  as  they  mounted  the 
gentle  swell  to  the  house. 

The  next  week  was  the  pleasantest  Lucetta  had 
ever  passed.     The  Neals  were  what  is  called  in 


222  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

the  neighborhood  "  well  off  "  and  "  good  livers," 
and  the  visit  was  a  welcome  change.  She  was  so 
ready  and  helpful  that,  before  three  days  had 
passed,  Mrs.  Neal  began  to  wonder  what  she  should 
do  without  her  when  she  went  home,  and  why  she 
had  not  missed  her  own  girls  when  they  married 
and  left  her,  one  to  live  in  Indianapolis,  and  the 
other  in  the  adjoining  county.  She  did  not  take 
into  consideration  that  her  strength  had  flagged 
with  advancing  age  in  the  decade  during  which 
her  girls  had  been  established  in  their  own  homes. 
Now  Lucetta,  whose  nineteen  years  had  been  passed 
in  service  for  others,  feU  naturally  back  into  her 
former  habit,  and  gave  the  old  people  a  daughter's 
ministration.  Frank  was  away  all  day,  and  fre- 
quently till  late  at  night.  But  on  the  few  evenings 
spent  at  home,  when  they  sat  on  the  porch  talking, 
a  completeness  in  the  family  circle  made  itself  felt. 
Frank  was  running  over  with  liveliness  ;  the  others 
were  cheerful.  He  told  them  stories  of  the  bright 
side  of  camp  life,  and  the  only  thing  that  stopped 
his  flow  of  talk  was  when  they  asked  about  his 
prison  life.     Of  that  he  could  never  speak  freely. 

Lucetta  was  not  a  girl  of  superabundant  spirits, 
and,  at  that  time,  life  for  her  was  too  serious ;  but 
now  and  then  Frank  could  surprise  from  her  a 
girlish  peal  that  mingled  pleasantly  with  his  father's 
hearty  laugh  and  his  mother's  shriller  one. 

Once,  when  they  parted  for  the  night,  the  young 
people  climbed  the  stairs  together,  Frank  still 
laughing  and  talking. 


MRS.  NEAL'S  GUEST  223 

The  old  husband  turned  to  the  old  wife,  and, 
jerking  his  head  in  their  direction,  said :  — 

"  Frank  might  do  worse." 

"  He  ain't  thinking  of  that,"  said  Mrs.  Neal  petu- 
lantly. "He  don't  think  nor  dream  of  anything 
but  war  and  soldierin'." 

"  That 's  all  right  now,  but  he  will  after  a  while. 
He  will  after  a  while." 

"  Why,  Abner  Neal !  have  you  forgot  "  — 

"  Yes,  I  have,  wife.  And  so  '11  Frank,  I  reckon," 
said  the  old  man  sturdily. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A  PRISONER   OF  WAR 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  August,  Ridgely 
lay  as  stagnant  as  a  mill-pond  under  the  subdued 
rays  of  the  rising  sun.  A  hush  seemed  to  brood 
over  all  the  processes  of  nature ;  the  birds  were 
silent ;  the  waters  of  Honey  Creek  were  low  from 
the  midsummer  drought,  and  flowed  sluggishly  in 
their  bed  ;  cattle  cropped  listlessly  ;  and  the  people 
moved  about  as  noiselessly  as  if  on  tiptoe  with 
expectancy.  A  feeling  of  suspense  was  in  the  air, 
diffused  as  ethereally  as  the  odor  of  flowers  at  the 
dew-fall. 

At  the  doors  of  many  of  the  scattered  cabins 
and  small  wooden  houses  in  the  country  and  on 
the  outskirts  of  the  village  hung  what,  at  first 
glance,  seemed  a  white  cornucopia,  such  as  idle 
schoolboys  make  of  the  leaves  of  their  copy-books. 
A  vagrant  wind  set  them  a-flutter,  then  straightened 
them  out  with  a  smart  crack  to  pass  on  and  let 
them  fall  limp  again.  But  that  brief  trick  of  a 
passing  breeze  displayed  a  tiny  flag  made  of  white 
cloth,  with  a  red  ribbon  running  along  the  top  and 
carried  down  the  sides,  and  hanging  below  like 
streamers. 


A  PRISONER  OF  WAR  225 

Frank  Neal  was  abroad  early,  on  horseback  and 
on  his  way  to  Ridgely  post-office,  where  he  expected 
important  letters. 

At  first  sight  of  these  mysterious  rags  he  was 
startled  and  felt  a  twinge  of  fear ;  the  next  moment 
it  was  changed  to  fury  that  found  vent  in  bitter 
imprecations,  and  instead  of  keeping  on  to  Ridgely 
he  turned  back,  and  rode  at  an  easy  trot  till  out  of 
sight  of  the  village,  when  his  pace  was  changed  to 
a  furious  gallop.  On  he  rode  till  he  reached  the 
county-seat  and  reported  to  Sheriff  Hale.  He  then 
went  to  the  telegraph  office  and  sent  a  message  to 
the  governor. 

Shortly  after  noon  that  same  day,  the  Crofton 
idlers  seated  on  the  court-house  fence  in  the  shade 
of  the  old  locust-trees,  some  engaged  in  talking 
over  the  prospect  of  Lincoln's  reelection,  others 
lounging  in  chairs  tilted  back  against  the  squatty 
brick  "  Treasurer's  Office,"  were  attracted  by  a 
curious  measured  sound,  which  grew  louder  mo- 
mently until  it  resolved  into  a  steady  tramp,  tramp. 
Then  came  the  clatter  of  arms  and  jangle  of  can- 
teens, the  flash  of  bayonets  carried  at  "  rest ;  "  then 
a  cloud  of  dust,  and  a  company  of  soldiers  passed 
down  Main  Street  and  turned  the  corner  out  of 
sight  before  they  had  recovered  from  their  surprise 
at  the  apparition. 

A  quick  command  to  halt  was  given  at  the  town 
pump ;  an  order  to  break  ranks  and  fill  canteens ; 
and,  in  as  few  seconds  as  it  took  to  execute  the 
order,  a  crowd  had  collected  about  them,  and  they 


226  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

were  plied  with  questions  as  to  why  they  were 
there,  and  where  they  were  going,  questions  they 
either  could  not  or  would  not  answer. 

"  Them  blamed  Butternuts  down  in  Honey  Creek 
Township  is  up,  I  reckon !  "  said  one  citizen,  spit- 
ting out  his  tobacco  in  order  to  express  himself 
more  freely.  "  Some  of  Harv  Wilson's  devilment, 
I  bet!" 

The  soldiers  bandied  jests  by  way  of  reply. 
After  the  yoimg  lieutenant  in  command  had  held 
a  short  conference  with  Sheriff  Hale,  the  order  to 
"  fall  in  "  was  given,  and  the  company  formed  in 
line  of  march  and  set  off,  followed  by  several  farm 
wagons,  whose  owners  had  volunteered  to  transport 
them  to  their  goal.  They  were  also  accompanied 
by  old  Jason  Cory  with  his  cannon,  —  the  pride  of 
every  boy  in  Crofton,  —  which  hitherto  had  had 
no  more  warlike  duty  than  to  fire  a  salute  on  the 
Fourth  of  July  or  Washington's  Birthday.  But 
the  old  gunner  was  a  loyal  man,  and  eagerly  lent 
his  service  and  that  of  his  ancient  gun,  which  he 
loved  as  if  it  were  alive.  Frank  Neal  piloted  them, 
and  almost  before  the  people  of  Crofton  had  recov- 
ered from  their  surprise  the  company  was  gone. 
The  men  kept  in  ranks  till  well  out  of  town,  then  at 
the  command  of  their  officer  marched  in  irregular 
order  over  the  dusty  roads,  or  availed  themselves 
of  the  jolting  wagons.  The  march  was  leisurely, 
as  they  wished  to  reach  Eidgely  under  cover  of 
dusk,  and  encamp  before  the  enemy  knew  of  their 
presence  on  the  field.     They  had  no  tents,  but  set 


A  PRISONER  OF  WAR  227 

out,  like  seasoned  veterans  as  they  were,  in  light 
marching  order,  each  man  with  a  blanket  on  his 
back  in  which  to  roll  himself  as  he  couched  on  the 
ground. 

Frank  conducted  them  to  a  retired  spot  by  the 
secluded  road  that  skirted  the  creek  back  of  his 
home.  Eidgely  was  not  visible  from  that  point, 
and  here  the  troops  would  remain  till  they  could 
come  up  with  the  enemy  under  cover  of  darkness. 
When  Frank,  who  rode  ahead  as  a  scout,  came  in 
view  of  their  own  landing,  he  saw  the  canoe  shoot 
swiftly  out  from  the  shore  and  down-stream  as  fast 
as  the  sturdy  strokes  of  a  girl  could  paddle  it. 
The  gay  young  soldiers  made  bets  on  her  progress, 
or  remarks  of  admiration  on  her  supple  grace. 
Frank  wheeled  and  rode  back  to  the  young  officer, 
with  whom  he  exchanged  a  few  words.  The  com- 
pany halted,  and  he  dashed  ahead  as  fast  as  his 
jaded  animal  could  go.  His  object  was  to  inter- 
cept the  girl  at  the  landing  nearest  the  viUage ; 
and  he  was  there,  and  had  fastened  his  horse  to  a 
scrub  sycamore  out  of  her  sight,  before  she  could 
tie  up  the  canoe,  which  she  ran  into  a  sheltered 
place  in  the  willows,  as  if  to  hide  it.  Her  cheeks 
flamed  with  two  red  spots  ;  her  fingers  trembled  so 
she  could  hardly  use  them ;  she  looked  anxious  and 
agitated. 

Frank  stepped  out  before  her  as  she  mounted 
the  narrow  river-path  to  the  village,  now  in  sight 
from  the  high  bank,  and  spoke  to  her  before  she 
realized  his  presence. 


228  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Lucy  ?  I  thouglit  you 
were  to  stay  with  mother." 

She  started  guiltily,  but  words  would  not  at 
once  rise  to  her  lips. 

"  Have  you  turned  traitor,  too  ?  "  said  Frank  bit- 
terly. "  By  Heaven  !  I  'd  drown  you  in  the  creek 
if  I  thought  so  !  " 

"  No,  no !  "  she  cried  breathlessly. 

"  You  were  going  to  that  Copperhead  camp  to 
warn  them?" 

"  Oh,  Frank,  it  was  only  that  I  might  prevent 
bloodshed.  I  thought  I  might  get  them  to  go 
home  if  they  knew  the  soldiers  were  actually  here. 
I  tried  to  persuade  them  to,  early  this  morning, 
but  they  would  n't  listen  to  me.  I  saw  you  gallop 
off,  Frank,  and  I  guessed  that  what  I  feared  — 
the  uprising  —  had  come." 

"  Then  you  knew  what  I  'd  gone  for,  and  would 
have  betrayed  me,  too  ?  " 

"I  did  not  think  of  betraying  you,  Frank.  I 
only  thought  of  the  murder  that  would  be  done, 
when  Tim  Cull  came  in  and  told  us  Harv  Wil- 
son had  a  hundred  and  fifty  men  camped  in  the 
meadow  back  of  Bolser's.  Then  I  knew  you  'd 
gone  for  the  soldiers." 

"  And  you  would  save  them  at  the  expense  of 
my  life?" 

"No,  no!" 

"  By  violating  the  honor  of  your  State,  then  ?  " 

"  The  honor  of  my  State  is  as  dear  to  me  as  to 
you,  or  to  our  governor  himself.     But  don't  you 


A  PRISONER  OF  WAR  229 

understand  ?  How  could  I  let  these  poor  fools, 
duped  and  led  into  this  by  Harv  Wilson  and  such 
men,  be  killed  by  the  soldiers,  or,  worse,  arrested 
and  hanged  as  traitors  for  this  insurrection  ?  They 
are  my  neighbors,  and  were  my  father's  and  mo- 
ther's friends.  I  have  known  them  all  my  life. 
What  do  they  know  of  the  principles  involved  in 
this  war?  I  didn't  know  myself  till  Miss  Abbot 
told  me.  They  are  as  ignorant  as  children,  and 
as  impulsive.  Their  prejudices  are  worked  on  by 
the  leaders,  who  as  you  know  are  bad  or  fanatical 
men,"  pleaded  Lucetta. 

"  They  know  enough  to  be  rank  traitors,  and 
are  eager  to  ruin  our  cause  and  break  up  the 
Union.  If  they  are  dupes,  and  I  admit  most  of 
Wilson's  followers  are,  they  need  a  little  sense 
put  into  them,  and  a  bullet  is  as  good  a  means  of 
doing  it  as  anything  I  know.  The  cursed  hounds  ! 
Infernal  Copperheads !  Have  I  any  reason  to 
spare  them?  Your  friends  would  have  burned 
us  all  in  our  beds,  and  for  what?  Because  we 
were  loyal !  They  would  have  shot  me  because 
I  wore  the  blue  uniform  !"  he  urged  passionately. 
And  you  '11  not  warn  them.  Miss !  "  —  with  a  sud- 
den descent  from  the  grandiose,  —  "  and  you  '11 
just  turn  round  and  go  home !  "  said  Frank,  with 
that  irritating  air  of  command  which  men  at  their 
wits'  end  assume  toward  women ;  and  he  untied  his 
horse  and  led  it  into  the  path  where  he  and  Lu- 
cetta had  stood  talking.  To  his  intense  vexation, 
she  continued  down  the  path  in  spite  of  his  re- 


230  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

monstrance,  liis  command,  he  following  until  they 
came  into  the  road,  fenced  on  the  meadow  side  by 
a  "  stake-and-rider." 

Across  the  hilly  field  he  could  see  smoke  from 
the  dying  camp-fires  rising  in  the  calm,  moist  air. 
It  was  now  twilight,  and  the  insurgent  camp  lay  in 
profound  quiet,  snugly  hidden,  and  betrayed  only 
by  the  trail  of  blue  vapor.  By  climbing  the  rail 
fence  it  could  be  reached  by  a  short  cut.  Frank 
urged  Lucetta  no  farther,  but  led  his  horse  close  to 
the  fence,  and  stepping  on  a  lower  rail  said  shortly  : 

"  Climb  up  here  and  I  '11  point  out  the  camp  of 
your  precious  friends,  if  you  must  go  to  them, 
house-burners,  assassins,  cutthroats  as  they  are !  " 

"  Frank,  I  feel  it  my  sacred  duty  to  warn  them." 

She  looked  firmly  into  his  eyes,  shining  with 
anger.  Both  were  determined  and  actuated  by 
their  ideas  of  duty  and  honor ;  a  man's  will  pitted 
against  a  woman's ;  neither  willing  to  yield.  He 
sat  on  the  top  rail,  with  one  leg  thrown  across  the 
fence,  looking  down  at  her  expectantly.  An  in- 
sidious smile  broke  the  gravity  of  his  young  face 
for  an  instant,  which  as  swiftly  grew  stern.  Her 
mood  was  one  of  calm  exaltation,  which  exasper- 
ates a  man  when  opposed  to  his  own,  and  utterly 
routs  all  his  powers  of  persuasion. 

"Well,"  said  Frank  shortly,  "give  me  your 
hand  ;  now  step  up.  Wait  till  I  get  on  the  top 
rail."  He  stood  up  where  the  rails  crossed,  and 
reached  down  his  hand  to  her.  His  horse  stood 
with  drooping  head  close  by. 


A  PRISONER  OF  WAR  231 

Lucetta,  embarrassed  by  his  help  offered  in  an 
act  she  had  performed  alone  all  her  life,  did  as  she 
was  told. 

With  a  sharp  jerk  he  brought  the  horse  along- 
side, flung  himself  into  the  saddle,  and,  before  she 
had  time  to  realize  his  intent,  clasped  Lucetta,  who 
was  on  the  top  of  the  fence,  in  both  arms,  lifted 
her  to  a  place  before  him  on  the  saddle,  and  hold- 
ing her  fast,  said  exultantly :  — 

"  You  're  a  prisoner  of  war  !  All 's  fair  in  love 
and  war,  Lucy,  and  there  's  a  little  of  both  in 
this ! " 

With  a  shake  of  the  bridle  he  was  off,  and  when 
they  reached  the  house  he  coolly  locked  her  in  a 
room  up-stairs  which  had  but  one  window,  and  that 
one  from  which  it  would  be  dangerous  to  jump. 
He  knew  too  well  Lucetta's  firmness  when  the 
idea  of  duty  possessed  her,  and  he  had  no  other 
resource  but  to  make  her  a  veritable  prisoner. 
He  passed  through  the  kitchen  to  find  his  mother 
and  inform  her  of  his  capture,  but  she  was  busy 
with  the  milk  at  the  spring-house  and  he  failed 
to  see  her.  He  returned  to  the  soldiers,  and,  in 
the  excitement  of  pitching  camp,  entirely  forgot 
his  irritation,  Lucetta,  everything,  indeed,  but  the 
present  occupation. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  UPRISING 

With  much  shrewdness,  Harv  Wilson  had  se- 
lected the  position  for  his  camp.  His  sole  pur- 
pose had  been  to  keep  out  of  sight ;  but  he  had 
not  taken  into  consideration,  as  a  trained  soldier 
would  have  done,  its  possibilities  of  successful  de- 
fense in  case  of  surprise  from  an  enemy. 

He  had  chosen  a  horseshoe-shaped  dell,  about 
fifty  yards  across,  covered  with  a  fine  thick  turf  of 
blue  grass  eaten  short  by  the  cattle.  It  was  sur- 
rounded by  hills,  which  rose  in  a  gentle  ascent  to 
the  right  and  left,  but  almost  like  an  escarpment 
in  the  rear,  where  its  green  walls  reached  the 
greatest  height.  One  standing  at  that  point  could 
look  down  on  the  camp  and  see  its  every  move- 
ment. The  opening  of  the  horseshoe  was  quite 
narrow  and  was  the  outlet  to  the  road.  Within 
its  confines  were  encamped  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  for  the  most  part  farmers  and  laborers, 
closely  crowded  between  the  green  walls.  Just 
what  was  expected  of  them,  none  knew  intelligibly 
except  the  leaders,  whose  knowledge  was  not  too 
clear. 

The  expose  had  not  proved  serious,  as  Dodd  had 


THE  UPRISING  233 

predicted ;  it  had  not  penetrated  to  tlie  innermost 
secrets,  nor  laid  bare  the  purposes  of  the  organiza- 
tion ;  so  that  the  original  intention  of  an  uprising 
for  August  16th  was  not  abandoned. 

The  Knights  of  Riffle  and  Honey  Creek  town- 
ships had  gone  into  camp,  as  ordered  by  the  Grand 
Council,  and  were  waiting  to  be  joined  by  Price 
from  the  West  and  by  Buckner  from  the  South ; 
and  they  were  in  constant  expectation  of  a  courier 
to  inform  them  of  the  advance  of  one  or  both  of 
these  forces,  or  of  orders  to  march  to  the  capital 
independently  of  these,  and  fall  in  with  other 
Knights  whom  they  might  overtake.  They  had 
reached  a  state  of  such  fanaticism  that  they  enter- 
tained no  doubt  of  success. 

As  the  sun  sank  behind  the  hills  across  Honey 
Creek,  it  was  a  picturesque  sight  to  see  their  blaz- 
ing camp-fires ;  for  the  August  nights  were  chilly 
and  the  mists  from  the  creek  cold.  The  white 
walls  of  several  large  tents  were  fitfully  displayed 
in  the  flickering  light.  The  floors  of  these  tents 
were  thickly  overlaid  with  fresh  straw,  and  each 
man  found  for  himself  a  bed  in  any  one  he  fan- 
cied, or  lay  under  the  wagons  that  had  transported 
the  camp  fittings.  Those  who  disliked  the  too 
close  quarters  of  the  tents  rolled  themselves  in  a 
blanket  and  lay  on  the  ground.  Worn  out  with 
unusual  excitement,  the  men  soon  sought  their 
beds. 

Harv  Wilson  had  grown  more  and  more  anxious 
as  the  evening  advanced  and  no  courier  had  ar- 


234  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

rived.  He  called  about  him  two  or  three  men, 
who  were  his  inferior  officers,  and  said :  — 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  make  of  this.  I  was 
ordered  by  Dodd  to  be  ready  to  move  at  sundown. 
He  said  he  'd  send  Captain  Athon  to  lead  us 
where  he  wanted  us." 

"  Somethin'  seems  wrong,"  observed  the  first 
lieutenant,  who  flourished  a  corn-knife  for  a  sword. 

"  'Pears  like,  "  observed  the  second  lieutenant. 
"  What  ye  goin'  to  do,  Harv?" 

Harv,  who  was  now  captain,  frowned  at  this 
breach  of  discipline  and  said :  "  Go  to  bed !  I  'm 
goin'  to." 

"  What !  without  sentries  ?  "  exclaimed  the  first 
lieutenant,  who  had  been  in  the  army  and  dishon- 
orably discharged. 

"  See  to  postin'  'em  yourself !  "  said  Harv  an- 
grily.    "  I  'm  goin'  to  bed." 

As  the  camp  settled  into  repose,  the  low  murmur 
of  voices  fell  into  silence,  and  gave  place  to  the 
loud  insistent  fiddling  of  amorous  katydids,  and 
the  shrilling  of  crickets.  Occasionally  the  bark  of 
a  restless  dog  was  heard.  Over  them  hung  a  black- 
blue  sky,  into  which  they  gazed  as  from  a  well  at  a 
circle  of  star-studded  space.  About  midnight  the 
waning  moon  rose  above  the  highest  hill  enclosing 
the  camp.  The  movement  of  sentries  could  be 
heard,  but  later  they  too  fell  asleep,  unused  to 
watching,  and  worn  out  by  unwonted  excitement. 

Up  the  side  of  the  hill  to  the  northeast  three 
men  crept  cautiously.     They  climbed  it  obliquely 


THE  UPRISING  235 

to  the  highest  point  that  hung  above  the  encamp- 
ment. This  reached,  they  threw  themselves  prone 
on  the  ground,  peering  into  the  stronghold  of  the 
enemy. 

They  were  Frank  Neal,  a  young  corporal,  and 
the  young  lieutenant  in  command. 

Frank  rapidly  and  accurately  explained  the  posi- 
tion, and  the  lieutenant  laid  his  plans  accordingly. 
They  then  returned  to  their  own  bivouac,  half  a 
mile  away,  as  secretly  as  they  had  come. 

At  four  o'clock  the  mist  from  Honey  Creek  filled 
the  valley ;  like  a  moist  veil,  it  fell  over  hills  and 
woods,  leaving  nothing  clearly  visible.  The  cocks 
were  crowing  shrilly  and  jays  were  screaming,  but 
these  were  the  only  signs  of  dawn.  Yet  in  the  en- 
campment on  the  by-road  there  were  quiet  move- 
ments of  some  kind.  A  small  squad  of  men  defiled 
to  the  right,  and  disappeared  in  the  mist  as  silently 
as  ghosts.  Another  followed  in  a  few  moments, 
and  was  swallowed  up  in  the  same  mysterious 
way.  A  third  moved  to  a  position  in  front  of  the 
horseshoe  behind  which  lay  Harv's  slumbering  fol- 
lowers, and  formed  in  line  across  the  opening. 

All  these  movements  were  completed  before  the 
first  sun-rays  streaked  the  sky.  The  sun  rose  a 
little  after  five,  but  the  heavy  mists  delayed  the 
dawning,  which  deepened  into  gray  light  slowly. 

A  sound  of  furious  galloping  bestirred  the  slum- 
bering camp,  for  the  sensitive  mist-charged  atmo- 
sphere carried  sound  into  the  little  dell  with  loud 
reverberance. 


236  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

The  young  lieutenant  had  placed  two  sentinels 
two  hundred  yards  down  the  road,  behind  the  great 
white  trunks  of  some  sycamores,  which  hid  them 
from  the  camp,  but  gave  them  full  view  of  the 
road.  One  of  these  was  Frank  Neal.  As  the 
sound  of  the  galloping  drew  nearer,  the  men  looked 
to  their  arms,  and,  as  a  jaded  horse  came  in  sight 
at  a  forced  gallop  from  which  speed  was  spent, 
they  sprang  from  their  places,  threw  the  horse  on 
his  haunches,  and  forced  him  to  halt.  Before  the 
amazed  rider  could  realize  his  situation,  a  gun  was 
thrust  in  his  face  through  the  mist,  a  challenge 
given,  and  strong  hands  dragged  him  to  the  ground. 

"  Vallandigham,"  the  horseman  answered,  un- 
hesitatingly. 

"  I  guess  you  're  the  fellow  we  want,  if  you  don't 
give  the  right  password !  I  've  orders  to  search 
him,  corporal,"  said  Frank  to  the  other  soldier. 

He  rapidly  examined  the  courier,  and  found  a 
slip  of  paper,  which  there  had  been  no  attempt  to 
conceal.     On  it  was  a  single  sentence  :  — 

"  Look  out  for  a  drove  of  mules." 

"  Ah,  cipher !  "  said  Frank.  "  My  young  man, 
we  '11  call  on  you  to  read  the  riddle." 

"  I  refuse  !  "  said  the  bearer  sturdily. 

"  I  guess  you  'd  better  think  over  your  refusal," 
said  Frank,  placing  a  revolver  to  the  fellow's  head. 
"  I  '11  give  you  two  minutes !  " 

The  courier  was  not  a  soldier,  and  gasped  out  in 
horrified  astonishment :  — 

"  Why,  you  would  n't  shoot  a  feller,  would  you  ?  " 


THE  UPRISING  237 

"  That 's  orders  !  "  said  Frank  grimly.  "  This 
is  war  !  War  of  your  own  making,  too !  So  talk 
up  briskly,  my  man." 

"It  was  from  Colonel  Heffren,  of  the  3d,  to 
warn  Harv  Wilson  Abe  Lincoln's  soldiers  were 
comin.' " 

"  Oh,  they  're  the  '  mules,'  are  they  ?  "  said 
Frank.    The  fellow  grinned  and  nodded  an  assent. 

The  horse,  freed,  slackened  its  pace  to  a  weary 
walk,  and,  by  the  time  Frank  had  made  his  capture, 
it  had  crept  between  the  lines  into  the  camp  of  the 
insurgents,  from  whence  it  had  caught  the  neigh  of 
one  of  its  kind  and  feebly  answered.  This  startled 
the  camp  like  a  loud  alarm. 

As  if  by  preconcerted  signal,  the  men  sprang 
from  their  tents,  formed  into  confused  groups, 
ready  for  they  knew  not  what,  just  as  the  sun  shot 
up  over  the  hill,  lifting  the  baffling  cloud  of  mist. 

Before  their  astonished  eyes,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
dell,  was  planted  a  cannon,  and,  as  it  seemed  to 
their  startled  senses,  there  stretched  endlessly  a 
line  of  blue-clad  soldiers,  with  guns  at  "ready," 
standing  still  as  if  carved  in  stone.  They  turned 
mechanically  to  climb  the  less  steep  hills,  to  find 
there  also  a  line  of  soldiers,  with  bayonets  fixed, 
thrown  round  the  dell.  So  skillfully  had  the 
troop  been  placed  that  it  commanded  every  point 
of  escape,  as  Harv  Wilson  was  quick  to  compre- 
hend. 

He  had  no  means  of  finding  out  their  numbers. 
He  was  no  coward,  but  was  shrewder  than  his  fol- 


238  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

lowers,  and  he  advised  them  to  lay  down  their 
arms  and  make  peaceable  surrender. 

This  counsel  had  a  curious  effect,  for  it  roused 
most  of  them  to  frenzy,  and  they  rushed  toward 
the  line  of  soldiery,  armed  with  corn-knives,  pitch- 
forks, billets  of  wood,  anything  they  coidd  catch 
up.  Those  who  had  guns  shot  recklessly,  and  for 
a  few  moments  the  wildest  commotion  ensued.  A 
quick  volley  from  the  troops,  fired  over  their  heads, 
had  a  calming  effect.  Seizing  the  opportunity, 
Wilson  went  among  them,  cursing  the  mutinous, 
encouraging  the  timid,  until  by  degrees  he  brought 
them  under  his  control  and  made  them  understand 
the  uselessness  of  resisting  trained  soldiers. 

*'  We  '11  have  help  inside  of  an  hour  from  Price 
or  Buckner.  Just  keep  cool,  and  let  'em  think 
we  're  beat,"  Harv  exhorted.  "  That  horse  is 
Billy  Hines's,  and  he  was  to  bring  the  word  as 
soon  as  they  had  crossed  the  state  line." 

This  encouraged  those  who  were  in  a  mood  to  be 
reasoned  with,  and  they  stood  in  sullen  groups,  not 
yet  fully  able  to  grasp  the  situation. 

In  the  midst  of  it  all,  Frank  Neal  came  into 
camp,  and,  going  up  to  Wilson,  said,  so  that  all 
might  hear :  — 

"Harv,  I  've  a  communication  for  you,"  and  he 
passed  over  a  dirty  scrap  of  paper. 

Harv  read  it,  and  his  bloated  face  turned  pale, 
as  a  visionary  noose  dangled  before  his  eyes.  But 
there  was  a  heroic  strain  in  him,  and  he  bore  it 
well  and  stanchly. 


THE  UPRISING  239 

"  It's  all  up  with  us,  boys  !  "  he  said  to  his  fol- 
lowers.    Then  he  turned  to  Frank  and  asked :  — 

"  Who  's  your  commanding  officer  ?  " 

"  Lieutenant  B " 

"  He 's  played  it  smart.  Tell  him  I  surrender. 
But,  Frank,  use  your  influence  with  him  to  let 
these  fools  go  home.  Don't  half  of  them  know 
what  they're  here  for." 

"  I  don't  know  what  Lieutenant  B 's  orders 

are  on  that  point,  but  I  '11  carry  your  message  to 
him." 

Frank  scaled  the  steep  hill  opposite  the  point 
where  the  cannon  was  planted,  and  found  the 
young  officer  standing  there,  watching  the  scene 
below.  He  was  laughing  softly  as  Frank  came  to 
his  side. 

"  It  seems  to  be  a  bloodless  victory,  Neal,"  he 
observed. 

"  Yes,"  assented  Frank.  "  But  they  would  not 
have  yielded  so  easily  but  for  this."  And  he 
handed  him  the  bit  of  paper  that  had  so  affected 
Harv  Wilson. 

The  officer  read  it  and  remarked,  "Well?" 
questioningly. 

"  The  fools  were  really  in  earnest,"  exclaimed 

B .     "  I  knew  there  was  devilment  of  some 

sort  afoot.  We  are  sent  out  every  week  or  so  to 
suppress  local  troubles.  But,  by  Heaven,  I  did  n't 
think  it  would  reach  insurrection  in  such  an  out-of- 
the-way  place  as  this  !  " 

The  lieutenant  descended  the  hill  and  took  for- 


240  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

mal  possession  of  the  camp.  Acting  on  orders 
from  headquarters  in  such  cases,  he  dismissed  the 
rank  and  file  to  their  homes,  frightened  and  crest- 
fallen, with  an  indeterminate  sentence  hanging  over 
them.  Harv  would  be  held  as  a  prisoner  of  war, 
carried  back  to  Crofton,  and  placed  in  the  jail 
there,  to  be  held  till  wanted  by  the  authorities. 
Athon  and  Miller,  his  lieutenants,  had  a  like  sen- 
tence. 

In  the  midst  of  breaking  camp  a  diversion  was 
made.  In  some  inscrutable  way  the  news  had 
flown  far  and  wide  that  the  soldiers  had  come,  and 
on  the  road  a  crowd  of  tearful  women,  and  fright- 
ened children,  and  a  few  silent  men  had  gathered. 
Suddenly  these  made  way  for  some  one.  It  was 
old  Mrs.  Bowles,  roughly  crowding  the  women  and 
trampling  the  children  in  her  haste  to  reach  the 
camp.  She  passed  the  sentinels  In  contempt,  in 
spite  of  bayonets  presented,  to  which  she  gave  no 
more  heed  than  so  many  hickory  goads. 

She  marched  straight  up  to  Harv,  who  was  a 
prisoner  under  guard,  violently  shook  her  fist  in 
his  face,  and  raged  like  a  lioness. 

"  We  might  'a'  known  we  could  n't  trust  you, 
Harv  Wilson.  You  never  had  no  sand  In  your 
craw.  You  make  a  big  splashin'  In  shallow  water. 
All  you  're  fittin'  fer  is  to  bully  men  like  Whitta- 
ker,  and  rob  widders  aJawIn'.  You  deserve  the 
gallows,  and  thank  God  you  '11  git  your  wages. 
You  never  was  true  to  the  cause,  an'  I  spit  on 

you!" 


THE  UPRISING  241 

She  violently  did  so,  before  two  soldiers  could 
lay  hands  on  her  to  lead  her  out  of  the  lines,  jerk- 
ing and  raging. 

The  young  officer  had  a  keen  sense  of  the  ridic- 
ulous, and  had  watched  this  scene  with  amused 
astonishment,  till  he  recovered  sufficiently  to  have 
her  removed. 

"  It  seems  the  women  would  fight !  "  he  remarked 
with  emphasis  that  caused  "Wilson  to  shoot  an 
envenomed  glance  at  him. 

After  a  hasty  breakfast  the  troops  set  out  for 
Crof  ton  with  their  three  prisoners,  who  were  turned 
over  to  Sheriff  Hale,  and  the  great  uprising  in 
Middle  County  ended  without  a  drop  of  blood  being 
shed. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

CAPTIVE  AND   CAPTOR 

It  was  with  a  feeling  o£  utter  humiliation  that 
Lucetta  saw  the  door  closed  and  locked,  and  Frank 
depart  without  a  word  o£  excuse  or  regret.  She 
heard  him  run  noisily  down  the  stairs,  slam  a  door ; 
then  silence.  The  next  few  hours  she  passed  in 
abasement  so  great  she  hardly  moved  a  muscle  or 
uttered  a  sound.  The  thought  of  the  indignity  to 
which  she  had  been  subjected  kept  running  through 
her  mind  faster  than  the  water  in  Honey  Creek, 
whose  fretting  she  could  distinctly  hear  as  it  crossed 
the  riffle  at  the  ford. 

As  the  hours  passed  on  and  the  house  grew 
quieter  and  no  one  came  to  her  rescue,  she  realized 
with  intenser  shame,  if  possible,  that  Frank  had 
forgotten  her.  She  had  no  means  of  knowing  he 
was  in  camp  with  the  soldiers. 

Lucetta's  dealings  with  men  had  given  her  little 
knowledge  of  them  that  would  apply  to  one  like 
Frank,  who,  compared  to  the  dwellers  in  this  out- 
of-the-way  place,  had  seen  life,  busy,  active,  stirring 
life.  Her  father  was  the  least  virile  of  his  sex, 
although  springing  from  sturdy  Scottish  stock  ;  and 
she  may  have  dimly  realized  this  lack  of  manly 


CAPTIVE  AND  CAPTOR  243 

vigor,  though  a  merciful  Providence  never  permits 
a  daughter  the  unsparing  view  of  strangers  in  such 
cases.  A  large  charity  covered  all  Zeb's  shortcom- 
ings, and  only  a  remembrance  of  his  unfailing  gen- 
tleness and  natural  courtesy  remained ;  this  had 
been  cherished  and  idealized  in  his  daughter's 
memory.  Strangely  enough,  his  weakness  had  no 
effect  in  shaping  her  belief  of  what  a  man  should  be. 

If  it  were  possible  for  men  to  catch  a  spiritual 
glimpse  of  those  ideals  of  maidenhood  which  girls 
create  and  endow  from  their  own  pure  hearts,  how 
warped  and  ignoble  the  real  would  seem !  Nothing 
human  could  fill  them.  They  rise  to  the  stature 
of  gods,  whose  devotees  are  so  engaged  in  looking 
up  that  their  glance  rarely  falls  upon  the  feet  of 
clay.  Lucetta  had  unconsciously  endowed  Frank 
with  heroship. 

She  could  not  sleep,  but  after  hours  of  endur- 
ance her  torturing  mood  of  abasement  passed  like 
a  paroxysm  of  pain.  She  felt  a  softer  one  take  its 
place  in  her  heart  and  wondered  at  it,  and,  with 
self -questioning  peculiar  to  lonely  women,  analyzed 
it  with  painful  accuracy.  She  realized  that  she 
was  not  as  angry  with  Frank  as  she  should  have 
been,  and  a  new  fear  and  shame  tormented  her ; 
she  cherished  no  delusions  concerning  his  regard 
for  her,  but  she  had  fostered  others,  unwittingly, 
in  regard  to  herself. 

Lonely,  unsought,  set  apart  for  service  from 
childhood  like  a  Vestal,  no  man  had  felt  for  her 
the  delicate  tenderness,  the  special  affection  her 


244  KNIGHTS   IN  FUSTIAN 

fastidious  nature  demanded,  which,  if  she  could 
not  attain,  she  was  strong  enough  to  forego.  The 
coarse  advances  of  a  man  like  Swazey  disgusted 
and  terrified  her.  She  realized  with  an  abashing 
clearness  that  she  coveted  Frank's  regard ;  she 
even  confessed  to  herself,  in  that  dreary  vigil,  a 
longing  to  inspire  in  him  a  feeling  finer  than  a 
mere  boy-and-girl  fondness,  which  on  her  part  was 
a  fondness  that  had  sprung  to  the  full  stature  of 
love.  In  the  flash  of  revelation  she  saw  it,  and 
shut  it  in,  for  she  could  not  thrust  it  out  of  her 
pure,  unselfish,  longing  heart.  This  night's  rough 
treatment  plainly  proved  that  Frank  had  no  ten- 
der feeling  for  her.  His  mind  and  soul  were  filled 
with  ambition  and  the  lust  of  fighting,  and  he 
longed  for  success  in  war,  not  love.  She  experi- 
enced a  woman's  resentful  jealousy  at  being  over- 
looked and  neglected,  while  she  chid  herself  for 
harboring  the  unlawful  thought. 

Frank's  nature  was  as  open  as  the  day ;  he  pos- 
sessed quick  sympathy,  easy  forgetfulness  of  an- 
noyance, a  rollicking  gallantry  that  induced  him  to 
make  laughing  love  to  every  pretty  girl  he  met. 
The  soldier's  assurance  made  him  confident  of  their 
admiration,  and  not  many  disappointed  him.  Yet 
there  was  a  strong  side  to  his  character  not  often 
roused,  —  the  heritage  of  a  high  sense  of  duty,  and 
that  puritanical  conscience  which  occasionally  called 
for  self-abasement. 

The  development  of  the  sentimental  side  of  his 
character  had  been  arrested  by  the  hard  realities 


CAPTIVE  AND  CAPTOR  245 

of  war  and  the  absorbing  demands  of  military- 
ambition.  If  he  had  ever  thought  of  Lucetta,  it 
was  with  gratitude  for  her  timely  help,  and  to 
pity  her,  superjfieially,  for  having  such  a  worthless 
father  and  sickly  mother,  —  and,  now  that  Prov- 
idence had  removed  them,  there  was  no  longer 
reason  even  for  this  compassion  ;  sympathy  for  her 
loneliness  was  now  his  strongest  feeling.  As  a 
schoolboy,  he  had  defended  her  against  the  rough- 
ness of  other  lads  ;  but  he  had  been  unequal  to 
the  task  of  protecting  her  from  the  sly  flings  of 
the  girls,  of  which,  indeed,  he  was  ignorant,  and  at 
which  he  would  probably  have  laughed  with  the  cal- 
lousness of  a  boy  unsuspecting  a  girl's  sensitiveness. 
But  Frank  was  one  of  Nature's  lance-breakers,  and 
the  object  was  always  a  secondary  matter. 

In  the  shriving  Lucetta  gave  her  heart  that 
night,  she  did  not  overlook  one  bitter  fact.  When 
Frank  was  rough,  and  had  forcibly  prevented  her 
carrying  out  her  intention,  and  disdained  her  idea 
of  duty,  she  was  angry  because  he  did  it ;  in  an- 
other, she  would  have  passed  it  by  without  resent- 
ment or  resistance.  When  he  had  laughingly 
called  her  strong-minded,  as  she  timorously  un- 
folded her  plans  for  seK-improvement  to  him  alone, 
she  was  wounded  that  he  was  not  more  sympa- 
thetic. He  regaled  her  with  the  pranks  that  had 
engaged  him  at  college,  and  she  had  thought  him 
lacking  in  love  of  knowledge,  and  was  disappointed 
in  him.  But  when  he  related  enthusiastically  his 
war  experiences,  showing  greater  desire  to  defeat 


246  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

the  enemy  than  devotion  to  the  principles  involved 
in  the  war,  she  was  shocked,  and  the  escapades  in 
camp  and  on  the  march  sounded  coarse,  even  bru- 
tal ;  but  she  put  it  all  out  of  her  mind.  She  con- 
doned the  fault  because  of  the  sinner.  She  had 
not  realized  that  her  imaginary  hero  had  taken  on 
mortal  form  until  the  harrowing  fact  was  revealed 
in  the  long  hours  of  her  imprisonment,  and  the 
shame  of  the  consciousness  of  unsought  love  was 
hers.  Self  -  contempt  and  stern  resolution  would 
not  banish  from  her  mind  the  face  that  had  looked 
at  her  as  he  thrust  her  inside  the  door  with  rough 
haste.  Cheeks  flushed  with  excitement,  eyes  shin- 
ing with  satisfaction,  his  lips  smiling  with  exulta- 
tion at  his  success  in  frustrating  her  design,  —  that 
was  all  she  saw.  The  crowning  insult  was  the  only 
good-by  he  had  given  her :  — 

"  You  '11  not  meddle  with  what  don't  concern 
you,  in  here." 

As  the  hours  of  her  imprisonment  grew  longer, 
her  pride,  —  heaven's  most  precious  gift  to  woman 
to  sustain  her  against  the  hurt  of  the  indifference 
or  cruelty  of  man,  —  till  then  latent,  came  to  her 
help.  Instinct  taught  her  on  the  instant  that  a 
show  of  preference  from  her  would  be  received  by 
him  with  contempt,  dislike,  even  hate. 

Tired  out,  she  slept  fitfully  for  an  hour  or  so. 
At  dawn  she  heard  the  quick  volley  from  the 
camp,  and  the  confused  sounds  that  followed,  and 
every  other  emotion  was  swallowed  up  in  fear  for 
Frank's  safety. 


CAPTIVE  AND  CAPTOR  247 

As  the  day  advanced  to  evening  again  and  she 
was  not  released,  her  feelings  underwent  another 
change.  She  resented  the  neglect  that  kept  her 
a  prisoner  twenty-four  hours  without  food  or  drink. 
The  house  was  large ;  the  little  room  was  remote 
from  the  living-room,  and  seldom  used  except  when 
they  had  company.  She  was  certain  Mrs.  Neal 
knew  nothing  of  her  presence  under  her  roof,  for 
she  had  told  her  that  she  would  stay  the  night 
with  Mrs.  Rush. 

Resentful  stubbornness  dislodged  every  tender 
emotion,  and  she  resolved  to  remain  there,  without 
making  outcry  or  appeal  for  release,  till  Frank  him- 
self remembered  her,  though  she  starved ;  and  very 
real  pangs  of  hunger  reminded  her  how  painful 
such  a  fate  would  be. 

At  six  o'clock  Frank  came  home,  tired  and  tri- 
umphant, and,  as  he  wiped  his  face  on  the  long 
roller  towel  in  the  kitchen,  he  vivaciously  recounted 
to  his  father  and  mother  the  outcome  of  the  famous 
battle. 

His  mother  said  at  the  conclusion  :  — 

"  I  hope  Lucetty  ain't  scared  to  death !  She 
went  to  see  Mrs.  Rush  yesterday  evening  after 
supper,  and  told  me  she  did  n't  know  when  she  'd 
come  back." 

"  Lucetta  —  Lucetta! "  stammered  Frank.  "  Good 
Lord  !  I  'd  forgotten  all  about  her !  "^  And  he 
dashed  out  of  the  room,  fumbling  for  the  key  in 
his  pocket,  not  heeding  his  mother's  cry,  — 


248  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Why,  is  the  boy  crazy  ?  " 

He  rushed  up  the  stairway  to  the  little  room, 
turned  the  key  in  the  lock,  but  on  trying  the  door 
found  he  could  not  get  in.  It  was  fastened  on  the 
inside,  and  he  remembered  how  he  had  put  the 
old-fashioned  bolt  on  the  door  because  his  sister 
Sally  had  been  afraid  of  burglars  when  she  came 
home  on  a  visit. 

"  Lucy !  Lucy ! "  he  called.  There  was  no  an- 
swer. 

"  She  could  n't  have  jumped  out  of  the  window. 
It  would  have  broken  her  neck  or  crippled  her," 
he  meditated.  Then  he  shook  the  door  vigorously, 
but  to  no  purpose. 

"  Open  the  door !  Don't  be  such  a  fool !  "  he 
called,  exasperated. 

Silence.  All  he  heard  was  his  mother  calling  to 
know  what  he  meant. 

He  waited  a  little  longer,  then  said  aloud,  ap- 
prehensively :  — 

"  She  could  n't  have  died  of  fright.  Girls  are 
such  cowards!  " 

A  recollection  of  Lucetta's  deeds  of  courage 
flashed  through  his  mind  and  disproved  this  opin- 
ion. 

"  This  one  is  n't,"  he  mused,  "  but  they  are  all 
stubborn !  "  recalling  contests  of  will  with  his  sis- 
ters. 

"  Lucy,"  he  said,  with  sweet  persuasion,  "  please 
open  the  door  ;  I  'm  sorry  I  forgot  you."    No  reply. 

"  Damn  it  all !     I  '11  break  down  this  door  if  you 


CAPTIVE  AND  CAPTOR  249 

don't  open  it ! "  And  a  series  of  vigorous  kicks 
gave  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  his  threat.  The  gal- 
lant soldier  had  turned  bully.  He  heard  the  bolt 
click,  and  he  expected  a  different  sight  from  the 
one  that  met  him.  He  knew  girls  cried.  "  Sniv- 
eled "  he  called  it.  But  this  one  did  not.  She 
was  exceedingly  pale,  but  perfectly  composed,  and 
her  eyes  rested  on  his  coldly.  With  compressed 
lips  she  passed  him,  and  started  for  the  stairway 
in  unbroken  silence. 

Her  cold  glance  made  him  feel  as  if  a  sabre  had 
slashed  him,  and  he  involuntarily  winced  from  the 
imaginary  wound.  His  nature  was  demonstrative 
and  must  find  outlet  in  words,  which  were  wont 
to  overflow  from  his  lips  as  easily  as  the  spring 
branch  over  its  banks  in  a  freshet. 

"  Lucy,  I  'm  sorry  you  've  been  shut  up  twenty- 
four  hours.  Why  did  n't  you  call  mother  ?  She 
would  have  given  you  something  to  eat  over  the 
transom."     Amused  at  the  idea,  he  laughed. 

Lucy  passed  down  the  hall,  but  he  intercepted 
her. 

"You  don't  mean  that  you  are  really  mad  at 
me  ?  "  he  asked,  his  Irish  blue  eyes  looking  as  sad 
and  appealing  as  they  had  been  merry  and  amused 
the  moment  before. 

The  sealed  lips  did  not  unclose,  nor  the  cold 
eyes  change. 

"Won't  you  speak  to  me,  Lucy?"  he  pleaded 
in  that  winning  way  that  had  melted  many  a  girl 
before. 


250  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  Yes,  this  once.  Then  I  '11  never  speak  to  you 
again !  You  ridiculed  my  ideas  of  duty ;  you 
impeached  my  loyalty ;  you  believed  me  a  traitor, 
for  you  said  so ;  you  insulted  my  womanhood  "  — 

Frank  tried  to  interrupt  her,  but  she  would  not 
be  stopped. 

"  No,  don't  try  to  make  idle  excuses !  Like 
other  men,  you  cheapen  a  woman's  patriotism  ;  you 
regard  her  idea  of  duty  as  a  whim ;  her  love  of 
country  as  child's  prattle,  to  be  listened  to  with  in- 
dulgence and  checked  when  grown  tiresome.  You 
have  no  real  respect  for  me,  and  treated  me  with 
violence  almost  ruffianly !  After  all  this,  you  ex- 
pect me  to  act  as  though  you  had  done  nothing ! 
No,  I  '11  not  have  anything  to  do  with  you  nor 
your  people.  Your  mother  hates  me ;  and  yester- 
day your  father  said,  '  Thank  God,  my  girl,  you  're 
not  like  your  father ! '  He  despises  me !  But  you 
—  you  do  aU  that,  and  more  !  " 

She  ran  down  the  stairs,  leaving  Frank  in  greater 
disorder  than  if  he  had  met  the  enemy  and  had 
been  worsted.  Before  he  recovered  she  had  left 
the  house. 

When  he  crept  crestfallen  into  the  kitchen,  it 
was  to  find  his  father  chuckling  at  his  defeat,  and 
his  mother  dazed  and  frightened,  looking  after  the 
girl  resentfully. 

Frank  then  explained,  whereupon  old  Abner 
said :  — 

"  No  wonder  the  girl 's  mad !  But,  'pears  to  me, 
she  licked  you  worse  'n  you  did  the  Butternuts !  " 


CAPTIVE   AND   CAPTOR  251 

"  It  'pears  to  me,"  said  Mrs.  Neal  tartly,  "  she 's 
an  ungrateful  hussy  !  " 

"  That 's  the  last  word  that  should  be  applied  to 
Lucy,  mother !  "  Frank  said  warmly,  and  he  took 
his  way  to  the  barn  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets, 
whistling  softly  between  his  teeth,  to  think  it  over. 
And  his  mother  exclaimed,  "  Did  you  ever !  " 

This  outburst  of  Lucetta's  surprised  Frank  and 
made  him  feel  uncomfortable,  but  it  created  in 
him  the  respect  she  had  found  wanting,  and  he 
recognized  with  a  boy's  slow  perception  that  per- 
haps a  girl  might  be  brave ;  might  have  earnest 
convictions ;  and  that  her  compassion  for  the  igno- 
rant dupes  of  Harv  Wilson  was,  after  all,  praise- 
worthy. With  his  characteristic  impulsiveness,  he 
wanted  to  tell  her  so,  and  resolved  to  do  it  the 
next  day. 

But  in  that  he  was  disappointed,  for  the  latch- 
string  of  the  cabin  was  not  out,  nor  could  he  find 
it  so  on  the  days  that  followed. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

CAPITULATION 

During  tlie  fortnight  after  the  "battle,"  as  it 
was  thereafter  called  in  that  vicinity,  Frank's  time 
was  taken  up  with  the  necessary  legal  proceedings 
against  the  insurgents.  Notwithstanding  his  pre- 
occupation, he  had  tried  many  times  to  make  his 
peace  with  Lucetta,  but  in  vain.  He  had  even 
written  to  her  imploring  recognition,  at  least ;  for 
she  had  passed  him  in  the  road  as  she  would  have 
done  a  total  stranger.  He  sent  the  note  by  Zeke, 
the  bound  boy,  but  it  had  been  returned  intact. 
Opposition  of  this  kind  acts  differently  on  men  of 
dissimilar  temperaments.  It  rouses  the  pertinacity 
of  some,  kills  the  interest  of  others.  In  Frank  it 
had  the  first  effect ;  but,  to  his  infinite  amazement, 
he  had  found  one  woman  who  was  not  amenable  to 
his  wishes.  For  a  youth  of  his  age,  Frank  had  had 
no  small  share  of  flirtation,  "  sparking  "  they  called 
it  in  the  vernacular.  It  dated  back  to  the  time  of 
his  first  fine  Sunday  suit  presented  on  his  sixteenth 
birthday.  It  was  such  gay,  honest,  open  trifling 
that  he  had  won  the  reputation  of  "  meanin'  no- 
thing," and  the  neighborhood  belles  repaid  him  in 
kind.     After  entering  coUege  his  manner  toward 


CAPITULATION  253 

them  turned  to  friendliness,  for  he  could  no  longer 
enter  into  their  roi-gh  fun  with  his  former  zest, 
and  when  he  enlisted  in  the  army  his  interest  in 
them  dwindled  to  the  smallest.  But  he  was  per- 
fectly aware  that  there  was  no  decline  in  their 
admiration  for  him,  and  he  accepted  it  carelessly. 

The  girls,  on  their  part,  felt  something  lacking 
in  their  present  relations,  —  but  what,  they  were 
not  ^cute  enough  to  discover.  They  accepted  the 
change  without  resentment,  and,  had  not  Frank 
enlisted  at  the  most  opportune  moment,  he  stood  a 
fair  chance  of  becoming  that  most  odious  of  crea- 
tures, a  woman-spoiled  man. 

Frank's  taste  in  the  matter  of  female  character 
and  deportment  had  been  modified  insensibly  dur- 
ing his  four  years  in  college  by  association  with  the 
daughters  of  the  professors,  whom  he  met  at  "  mite 
societies"  and  sophomore  and  senior  class-parties. 
The  contrast  was  to  the  immense  advantage  of  the 
latter,  but  Frank  was  too  kindly  and  loyal  to  his 
earlier  friends  to  own  it. 

He  had  always  heard  Lucetta  spoken  of  by  the 
neighbors  as  "old  for  her  age,"  without  really 
knowing  what  they  meant  by  the  phrase.  The 
girls  had  called  her  "  uppety,"  which  was  clearer 
to  him ;  but  he  good-naturedly  defended  her  from 
that  accusation,  which  could  have  hardly  been 
made  worse,  for  it  included  everything  they  re- 
sented, —  lack  of  humility,  lack  of  sociability,  and 
too  good  an  opinion  of  one's  self  to  the  unspoken 
disparagement  of  others. 


254  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Discriminating  taste  in  the  quality  of  woman's 
character  is  almost  the  last  thing  very  young  men 
acquire ;  some  never  do  acquire  it,  and  it  was  to 
Frank's  credit  he  was  so  discerning  in  this  case. 
He  recognized  in  Lucetta  a  natural  refinement  and 
a  delicacy  which  made  it  impossible  to  treat  her 
with  the  rather  bold  freedom  of  manner  he  dis- 
played toward  the  other  girls  in  the  neighborhood. 
He  had  been,  hitherto,  a  sort  of  conquering  hero 
to  them,  and  that  Lucetta  should  defy  him,  for 
some  painful  idea  of  duty,  irritated  and  surprised 
him  into  a  roughness  toward  her  that  made  him 
first  ashamed  and  then  remorseful.  If  she  had 
forgiven  him  at  once,  he  would  have  forgotten  ex- 
peditiously the  offense  and  even  the  pardon !  But 
when  she  would  have  nothing  to  say  to  him,  and 
declined  to  listen  to  his  speeches,  his  impetuous 
nature  carried  him  to  the  other  extreme,  and  he 
determined  to  force  from  her  that  clemency  which 
had  never  been  denied  him  before  by  her  sex. 
Her  cold  repudiation  of  his  efforts  at  reconciliation 
chafed  and  fretted  him,  and  strengthened  his  de- 
termination that  it  should  be  accomplished.  His 
father's  acrid  gibing  kept  him  to  his  resolution, 
which  otherwise  would  have  surely  flagged  when 
new  interests  came  up,  incident  to  the  arrest  and 
imprisonment  of  the  prime  movers  of  the  insurrec- 
tion. He  had  given  more  earnest  thought  to  Lu- 
cetta in  these  two  weeks  than  to  all  the  girls  he 
had  ever  known,  put  together. 

He  was  aware  of  her  ardent  ambition  and  stead- 


CAPITULATION  255 

fastness  in  following  a  course  which  had  led  her  at 
last  to  the  goal  of  hev  aspirations.  He  depreciated 
her  tendency  to  strong-mindedness,  as  a  very  young 
man  does  in  the  case  of  young  women  who  have 
not  the  patience  to  wait  for  him  to  pick  and  choose, 
before  embracing  ambitious  projects. 

Meantime  he  had  determined  to  reenlist  for  a 
year,  in  accordance  with  the  new  call  of  the  Presi- 
dent. True  to  his  Celtic  blood,  there  was  for  him 
no  keeping  out  of  the  fight  as  long  as  it  raged. 
Now  there  was  a  fair  prospect  for  promotion,  and 
he  hoped  to  become  a  lieutenant.  He  set  Satur- 
day to  go  to  Crofton,  where  there  was  a  recruiting 
officer,  to  carry  out  his  purpose.  Early  that  morn- 
ing he  stopped  at  the  blacksmith's  to  have  a  bolt 
tightened  in  his  buggy,  which  Zeke,  who  was  with 
him,  was  to  bring  back  home. 

While  Alec  was  busy  with  the  job,  he  joined  in 
the  trifling  gossip  going  on  in  the  pauses  of  the 
game  of  quoits,  the  invariable  amusement  at  the 
smithy. 

"  Going  back  to  the  army,  are  you,  Frank  ? " 
asked  the  "hand,"  as  he  beat  the  sparks  from  a 
shoe  he  was  shaping. 

"  Yes  ;  I  start  as  soon  as  Alec  finishes  this  job." 

"  Should  think  you  'd  had  enough  o'  war !  Three 
years  is  'nuff  for  most  folks." 

"  Well,  to  tell  the  truth.  Alec,  it  unsettles  a 
man,  after  he  has  once  tasted  the  excitement  of  its 
risks  and  constant  change.  It 's  life !  This  is 
stagnation ! " 


256  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"  No  danger  of  you  settlin'  down  on  the  farm 
with  a  nice,  hard-workin'  girl !  "  laughed  Alec. 

"  None,  that  I  see  at  present." 

"  You  and  Lueetty  quittin'  the  neighborhood 
the  same  day  seems  kind  o'  queer !  "  observed  Alec 
tentatively. 

By  this  time,  the  whole  neighborhood  knew  the 
smallest  particulars  of  their  affair. 

"  Is  she  going  to-day  ?  "  he  asked  with  surprise 
and  interest. 

"  Yes  ;  schoolma'am  's  come  to  board  with  us 
this  winter.  She  's  up  to  the  house  now,  cryin'  fit 
to  kill." 

"  Lucy  has  n't  gone  already  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Uncle  Laws  Moore  took  her  and  her 
trunk  in  the  little  spring  wagon  at  sun-up.  He  's 
carrying  some  peaches  to  town,  too.  Like  's  not 
he  '11  get  her  left.     Rock  's  so  turrible  slow." 

"  Where 's  she  going  ?  " 

"  She  'lows  to  go  to  Crofton,  and  take  the  stage 
for  Waveland.  She  's  goin'  to  the  Academy  to 
learn  to  be  a  teacher." 

"  Miss  Abbot 's  at  your  house  now,  you  say  ? 

"  Yes." 

"  Guess  I  '11  step  up  and  see  her.  Hurry  up 
that  job,  Alec  !  " 

Frank  started  up  the  hill  to  the  house,  and 
Alec's  meditative  eye  followed  him  as  he  quickly 
climbed  it. 

"  'Pears  like  there  is  somethin'  nearly  as  inter- 
estin'  as  war  to  that  chap,  after  all.     I  heerd  she 


CAPITULATION  257 

would  n't  speak  to  him  after  the  rumpus !  Lu- 
cetty  's  gritty,"  and  Alec  laughed  softly. 

Frank  reached  the  open  door  and  found  Miss 
Abbot  just  within  the  tidy  sitting-room,  swaying 
to  and  fro  in  the  little  rocking-chair,  mournfully 
musing. 

It  was  barely  seven  o'clock,  but  all  the  morning 
work  was  done,  and  Mrs.  Rush  was  busy  with  her 
soap-boiling  in  the  back  yard. 

"  Good  morning.  Miss  Abbot.  Alec  tells  me 
Lucy  's  gone.  Is  it  true  ?  "  said  Frank,  rushing 
to  the  point  with  his  usual  impulsiveness. 

Before  answering,  Miss  Abbot  wiped  her  eyes, 
which  were  deep  pink  around  the  lids. 

"  Yes,  she  went  with  Uncle  Laws  at  half  past 
five." 

"  She  —  she  did  n't  leave  any  word  for  me,  did 
she  ?  "  he  asked  hesitatingly.  Frank  had  sent  her 
a  long  letter  two  days  before,  informing  her  of  his 
intention  to  reenlist,  begging  her  forgiveness  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  they  might  never  meet  again, 
and  had  received  no  answer  whatever  ;  but  he  felt 
hopeful,  for,  this  time,  she  had  not  returned  it. 

"  No,"  said  Miss  Abbot  with  faint  surprise. 

"  I  might  as  well  tell  you.  Miss  Abbot,  if  Lucy 
has  n't  already,"  and  he  paused,  —  "  she  's  mad  at 
me ! "  He  said  it  so  frankly,  and  was  so  openly 
troubled.  Miss  Abbot  would  have  smiled  had  she 
not  been  so  sorrowful  herself. 

"  She  told  me  nothing  about  it ;  she  has  never 
mentioned  you  to  me." 


258  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

Frank  was  a  little  mortified,  but  relieved  too, 
and  reflected  that  Lucetta  had  the  rare  virtue  of 
keeping  her  affairs  to  herself. 

"  You  say  she  went  with  Uncle  Laws  ?  At  the 
rate  old  Rock  travels,  they  must  be  almost  to 
Chambers'  Mill,"  said  Frank  reflectively. 

The  foundation  of  Rock's  reputation  was  just 
the  reverse  of  Flora  Temple's,  but  in  that  vicinity 
his  fame  was  wider  spread. 

"  So  Lucy  is  determined  to  be  a  teacher  ?  "  he 
said. 

"  Yes,  and  I  know  of  no  one  who  has  as  many 
of  the  qualities  that  go  to  make  a  good  one,"  said 
the  spinster.  "  So  gentle,  yet  so  firm,  patient, 
and  intelligent,  and  with  such  perseverance.  She 
studied  so  faithfully  and  learned  so  quickly  and 
thoroughly.  She  was  a  model  daughter,  and  "  — 
faltered  Miss  Abbot  tearfully  —  "  she  was  so  kind 
to  me  !    I  don't  know  what  I  '11  do  without  her." 

"  I  'm  afraid  you  '11  not  find  many  friends  here 
as  congenial,"  said  Frank  warmly.  "  But  I  must 
go.  I  expect  Alec 's  got  my  buggy  ready  by  this 
time.  I'm  going  to  town  myself.  Miss  Abbot. 
If  I  should  overtake  them,  and  it 's  likely  I  will, 
have  you  any  message  for  Lucy  ?  " 

Miss  Abbot  seemed  to  remember  something,  for 
she  went  to  the  bureau  and  took  from  the  top  of 
it  a  white  envelope. 

"Yes;  tell  her  she  left  this,"  and  Miss  Abbot 
waved  before  Frank's  mortified  eyes  his  repentant 
letter. 


CAPITULATION  259 

"  She  could  n't  have  read  it,  as  It  Is  n't  opened," 
lie  thought. 

"  I  '11  be  sure  to  catch  up  with  them.  Give  it 
to  me,  and  I  '11  deliver  it  to  her,"  he  said  aloud. 

He  took  it  from  Miss  Abbot's  hand,  and,  thrust- 
ing it  into  his  breast  pocket,  went  back  to  the 
shop,  where  he  found  the  repairs  finished.  In  a 
few  moments  he  was  whirling  along  the  same  road 
Lucetta  had  taken  two  hours  before.  It  was  the 
first  week  of  September,  and  the  air  was  fuU  of 
that  languorous  heat  which  ripens  the  late  fruit. 
The  atmosphere  was  of  the  pale-yellow  glow  so 
characteristic  of  that  month.  It  was  what  Alec 
in  his  utter  satisfaction  had  called  a  "  big  yaller 
day."  The  tops  of  the  distant  trees  that  "  kept 
company"  with  Honey  Creek  were  swathed  in 
pale-blue  haze,  which  softened  their  jagged  out- 
lines into  tenderest  beauty.  From  the  woods  on 
either  hand  came  the  fragrance  of  ripe  wild  grapes 
and  the  unique  odor  of  maturing  pawpaws.  Whiffs 
of  pennyroyal  were  borne  on  dewy  puffs  of  wind 
that  stirred  the  beeches  under  which  it  grew.  The 
birds  were  a-tune  again  after  their  August  silence. 
The  "  bottoms "  were  gorgeous  with  the  kingly 
color  of  iron-weed  and  the  glowing  yellow  of  gold- 
enrod. 

But  Frank  was  not  interested  In  anything  na- 
ture had  to  exhibit  that  lovely  morning.  He  drove 
rapidly  in  mortified  silence,  grunting  by  way  of 
answer  to  the  garrulous  boy  beside  him.  He  kept 
his  eyes  on  the  sandy  road  ahead,  and  flicked  the 


260  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

lines  on  the  back  of  his  willing  mare,  urging  her 
to  greater  speed.  When  he  reached  the  top  of 
the  long  steep  hill  where  the  track  led  down  to 
the  creek,  he  checked  his  horse  to  a  walk.  The 
road  that  descended  the  hill  was  an  old  Indian 
trail,  and  gradually  "sidled,"  as  cows  do,  instead 
of  plunging  straight  down  to  the  creek.  For  this 
reason  the  ford  was  hidden  for  the  greater  part  of 
the  descent,  and  it  was  not  until  Frank  had  nearly 
reached  the  bottom  of  the  hill  that  a  sight  pre- 
sented itself  which  caused  him  to  splash  quickly 
through  the  stream,  and  brought  from  him  an  ex- 
clamation :  — 

"  Hello,  Uncle  Laws  !     In  trouble  ?  " 

Uncle  Laws  was  pounding  with  a  stone  on  the 
tire  of  one  of  his  front  wheels,  the  pair  of  which 
spread  out  as  if  making  ready  to  squat  on  the 
ground. 

Lucetta  had  dismounted  and  stood  near,  anx- 
iously watching  the  results  of  his  labor.  But  the 
old  man  could  do  nothing  with  it;  the  antique 
vehicle  was  too  frail  to  withstand  the  sturdy  blows 
he  dealt ;  and  the  wheel  collapsed  and  left  the 
wagon  a-tilt  on  the  other  three,  utterly  useless  for 
the  time. 

"  Too  bad.  Uncle  Laws !  We  '11  have  to  put  a 
rail  under  it,  and  you  can  drag  it  back  home," 
said  Frank,  who  had  alighted  and  was  examining 
the  wreck. 

"  Yes,"  quavered  Uncle  Laws.  "  I  ain't  a-carin' 
for  me  and  the  peaches,  but  Lucetty  here  wants  to 


CAPITULATION  261 

ketch  the  stage  for  Waveland  that  goes  oat  'bout 
noon  from  Crofton." 

Frank  looked  toward  Lucetta,  and  said,  after  a 
little  hesitation :  — 

"  I  can  take  Lucy  on  in  my  buggy,  and  maybe 
we  can  fasten  the  trunk  on  behind." 

The  trunk  in  question  was  a  tiny  old-fashioned 
one,  covered  with  cowhide,  on  which  the  dark-red 
hair  had  been  left,  and  was  thickly  studded  with 
brass  nails. 

"  I  'd  go  back  with  Uncle  Laws  if  —  How 
far  are  we  from  home  ?  "  Lucetta  asked. 

"  About  four  miles,"  said  Frank,  so  gravely  that 
it  led  one  to  suspect  he  was  making  an  effort  to 
keep  from  laughing  at  Rock's  gait. 

"  Yes,  Lucetty,"  said  the  old  man,  "  you  jist  git 
in  with  Frank.  It 's  too  bad  to  disappoint  you. 
It  don't  matter  about  me  and  the  peaches." 

"  We  can  crowd  the  peaches  in,  too,  Uncle 
Laws,"  said  Frank  kindly.  "  What  do  you  want 
done  with  them? " 

The  old  man  explained,  and  Frank  listened  at- 
tentively, promising  to  fulfill  his  behests. 

This  kindliness  was  a  new  phase  of  Frank's 
character  to  Lucetta.  Though  unwillingly,  she 
could  not  but  admire  it,  and  this,  together  with  her 
urgent  wish  to  catch  the  stage,  overcame  her  obdu- 
racy, and  induced  her  to  accept  a  seat  in  Frank's 
buggy.  He  was  perfectly  aware  of  her  reluctance, 
but  ignored  it,  satisfied  that  she  did  accept  it  on 
any  terms.    It  seemed  a  step  toward  reconciliation. 


262  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

They  crowded  the  bag  of  peaches  under  the  seat, 
and  strapped  the  little  trunk  on  behind  with  one 
of  Uncle  Laws's  lines.  After  Frank  had  helped 
the  old  man,  and  had  seen  him  and  Zeke  safely  up 
the  hill,  they,  too,  set  off. 

At  first  there  was  silence  between  them,  but 
a  man  as  impulsive  as  Frank  could  not  keep  his 
tongue  still  very  long. 

"  Bad  for  Uncle  Laws,  but  lucky  for  me,"  he 
observed,  with  an  attempt  at  jocularity  which  was 
belied  by  his  evident  nervousness. 

Lucetta  made  no  reply. 

"  Lucky  for  you  too,  Lucy,  only  you  won't  ac- 
knowledge it.  You  'd  have  caught  the  stage  about 
three  o'clock  at  the  speed  old  Rock  was  making." 

Unwillingly  Lucetta  smiled  faintly,  but  it  was 
a  breaking  up  of  the  stern  gravity  of  her  face  and 
emboldened  Frank. 

"  Look  here,  Lucy !  You  might  forgive  me. 
I  've  done  everything  a  fellow  can  do  in  the  way 
of  apology.     You  know  I  'm  sorry." 

"  You  know  you  are  not,"  she  replied,  with  a 
burst  of  rash  heat.  "  You  know  you  'd  do  it  again, 
if  you  had  the  chance." 

A  grievance  aired,  like  some  chemicals  at  the 
first  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  boils  over  before 
it  can  reach  a  pacific  state.  The  situation  between 
Frank  and  Lucetta  was  such  as  to  induce  an  ex- 
plosion at  the  first  reopening  of  the  dispute  between 
them.  However,  anything,  in  Frank's  opinion, 
was  better  than  deadly  passivity :  given  the  oppor- 
tunity of  speech,  he  could  defend  himself. 


CAPITULATION  263 

"Well,"  lie  said,  "it  was  a  soldier's  duty  to 
carry  out  orders,  if  possible ;  as  such  I  was  bound 
in  honor  to  do  it  first  of  all.  I  'm  sorry  to  have 
offended  you,  Lucy,  but  it  had  to  be  done,  because 
it  was  the  right  thing  to  do,"  said  Frank  resolutely. 
"  The  only  thing  I  am  sorry  for  is  to  have  made 
you  mad  at  me." 

"  And  you  forgot  me  and  left  me  shut  up  twenty- 
four  hours — a  thing  you  would  not  have  done  to 
the  meanest  rebel  prisoner.  You  did  not  think 
enough  of  me  even  to  ask  if  I  'd  starved  to  death," 
she  said  coldly,  nullifying  his  plea. 

"Well,  I  know  I  did,"  he  acknowledged  stur- 
dily, "  but  you  know  I  had  some  excuse  for  it.  I 
had  the  confidence  of  men  high  in  authority  that 
I  could  not  violate,  and,  more,  the  honor  of  the 
State  was  at  stake.  If  it  had  been  my  own  mother 
—  and  even  you  can't  say  I  don't  care  for  her  — 
it  would  have  been  the  same,  —  duty  first." 

They  were  both  silent  while  the  horse  climbed 
the  hill,  and  on  the  level  at  the  top  Frank  said, 
earnestly  and  diffidently  :  — 

"  But  you  've  had  your  revenge.  You  ought  to 
be  satisfied.  There  has  hardly  been  an  hour  since 
that  I  have  not  thought  of  you.  You  know  how 
I  tried  to  see  you,  and  how  you  've  treated  me.  To 
paraphrase  your  own  words,  you  wouldn't  have 
treated  the  meanest  Copperhead  so.  Sent  my  let- 
ters back  unread.  Why  did  n't  you  read  the  last 
one,  when  you  kept  it  ?  "  looking  at  her  keenly. 

He  was  rewarded  by  seeing  her  start  slightly,  and 
a  flitting  of  red  stain  the  pale  cheek  next  him. 


264  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

"We  are  more  than  even,  Lucy.  You  know 
you  are  unjust.  Even  tliese  Copperhead  knights 
will  be  given  a  hearing,  a  thing  you  are  not  fair 
enough  to  grant  me,"  he  pleaded  artfully,  appeal- 
ing, as  he  well  knew,  to  one  of  her  strongest  char- 
acteristics, an  unfaltering  sense  of  justice. 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  be  unfair  to  you,  Frank. 
But  it  hurt  me  so,  the  contempt,  the  anger,  and 
all  you  did  to  me." 

Frank  made  no  reply  to  her  accusation,  but 
asked :  — 

"  Will  you  read  my  letter  now?" 

"  How  can  I  ?  " 

He  drew  it  from  his  pocket,  crumpled  with  his 
hasty  thrust,  and  laid  it  on  her  lap  with  the  address 
uppermost. 

She  looked  at  him  in  startled  surprise.  "  How 
did  you  get  it  ?  "  she  stammered. 

"  Eead  it  first,"  he  demanded  stubbornly ;  "  then 
I '11  tell  you." 

She  seemed  no  longer  able  to  resist  his  will, 
which  was  like  iron  under  his  seemingly  light, 
careless  exterior,  and  she  tore  the  letter  open  and 
read  it.  It  was  a  manly,  straightforward  appeal 
for  forgiveness,  and  a  warm  plea  for  a  renewal  of 
her  friendship,  and  it  expressed  his  conviction  of 
his  duty  as  a  citizen  and  a  soldier.  "  You  women 
forget,"  he  concluded,  "that,  while  we  fight,  you 
stand  in  the  most  sacred  lodgment  of  our  hearts. 
It  is  for  you,  after  aU,  that  men  accomplish  any- 
thing that  is  worthy ;  put  forth  their  best  efforts 


CAPITULATION  265 

for  your  approval ;  risk  their  lives  in  great  causes 
to  save  their  homes  where  you  abide  ;  without  you 
there  would  be  no  high  endeavor.  Life  with  only 
men  in  it  would  soon  be  a  struggle  for  brute  supre- 
macy. Few  men  love  each  other ;  they  like,  they 
admire,  they  respect,  if  you  will,  but  rarely  love. 
You  are  the  only  things  in  creation  they  really 
love.  And  if,  under  great  stress,  their  coarser  na- 
ture rises  uppermost  —  where  the  softer  is  impotent, 
useless,  —  and  they  fail  in  minor  matters  toward 
you,  your  finer  ones  should  be  patient  and  forgive." 

Lucetta  felt  like  a  "  damsel  possessed  of  divi- 
nation "  that  had  found  the  purest  spring  of  his 
nature.  It  was  so  unlike  what  she  had  expected 
from  the  gay,  reckless,  boyish  Frank,  she  coidd 
make  no  comment  on  it,  and  tears  came  to  her  eyes 
so  she  dared  not  raise  them. 

"  Now  teU  me  why  you  would  n't  read  it,"  in- 
sisted Frank. 

"  I  was  afraid  to,  Frank,"  she  said,  so  faintly  he 
could  hardly  hear  her, 

"  Afraid  ?  "  he  said,  amazed.     "  Why  ?  " 

She  could  not  dissemble,  and  said  in  almost  a 
whisper :  — 

"  Because  I  was  afraid  I  would  forgive,  to  my 
shame.     It  was  too  easy." 

"  What  a  strange  reason ! " 

His  blood  leaped  faster  when  he  realized  what 
such  a  speech  might  imply.  A  girl  of  less  integrity 
would  never  have  made  the  admission,  but  from 
one  less  conscientious  it  would  never  have  moved 


266  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

him.  He  would  liave  passed  it  by  as  a  speecli  of 
little  import. 

"  Is  there  another  reason  ?  "  he  insisted,  his  face 
flushing  with  ardor. 

She  raised  her  startled  eyes  to  his  face,  and  they 
mutely  implored  him  not  to  be  cruel  and  force  from 
her  a  revelation  that  to  her  seemed  shameful. 

But  at  that  look  the  tide  of  passion  rose  in  him 
which  broke  through  all  barriers  of  maidenly  re- 
serve. He  must  know  !  She  must  tell !  The 
horse  was  walking  sedately.  He  dropped  the  lines 
to  the  dashboard,  and  roughly  pushed  his  arm  about 
her. 

"  Tell  me,  is  n't  there  ?     Tell  me  !  tell  me  !  " 

"  I  never  wiU !  "  she  said  desperately,  virgin 
shame  making  her  as  cold  as  ice. 

He  tightened  his  grasp  about  her,  and,  throwing 
his  other  arm  over  her  shoulder,  held  her  in  a  close 
embrace,  while  he  took  by  storm  what  he  had  not 
the  patience  to  gain  by  slow  advances,  —  the  first 
kiss  of  passion  ever  snatched  from  Lucetta's  lips ; 
and  he  left  her  wounded  like  a  doe  from  a  death- 
bolt.  Such  utter  shame  was  never  felt  since  the 
First  Mother  felt  it,  as  an  emotion  unknown  to  her, 
at  creation :  the  poignancy,  the  humiliation  of  it 
only  her  daughters  can  know ;  it  is  the  inheritance 
of  the  chaste.  She  sighed  a  heart-broken  sigh  in 
his  rough  embrace,  and  her  eyes  were  full  of  an- 
guish, which  Frank  read  aright  as  soon  as  he  re- 
covered his  senses.  He  gathered  up  his  lines  again 
with  one  hand,  but  still  kept  the  other  about  Lu- 


CAPITULATION  267 

cetta's  shrinking  body.  He  felt  her  tremble,  but 
waited  in  silence  for  her  to  become  a  little  accus- 
tomed to  the  situation  before  he  spoke.  It  was 
not  an  unusual  position  for  his  free  arm  when  rid- 
ing with  any  of  the  girls  he  took  driving  in  his  new 
buggy  on  Sunday  afternoons.  He  felt  contrition 
now  that  it  had  ever  enfolded  another  woman. 

"  You  do  not  respect  me,  Frank,"  she  faltered  at 
last,  "  or  you  would  not  treat  me  so !  " 

"  Of  course  not !  "  said  he,  with  assumed  levity, 
"  I  never  thought  of  such  a  thing !  For  you  see, 
Lucy,  I  love  you  so  much  that  it  means  all  that  a 
man  can  feel  for  his  sweetheart !  " 

He  leaned  down  and  looked  into  her  agitated 
face,  but  her  eyes  avoided  his. 

"  I  surrender,  Lucy  !  I  'm  as  much  your  pris- 
oner as  you  were  mine  ! "  he  laughed,  and  said  pro- 
vokingly,  "  but  I  '11  be  sworn  you  will  not  forget 
me !  Is  n't  it  so  ?  Own  up,  Lucy,  and  we  '11  sign 
a  truce  to  last  through  life !  " 

"  Frank,"  she  said  agitatedly,  —  "  you  never 
thought  of  this  when  you  set  out  this  morning !  " 

With  any  other  girl  he  might  have  made  a  de- 
nial, but  Lucetta's  absolute  honesty  made  him  hon- 
est, and  he  answered  cheerfully,  — 

"  Why,  of  course  not !  Neither  did  you,  I 
reckon !  " 

The  beguilement  of  this  speech  made  her  set 
face  slacken  to  a  slight  smile. 

"  That 's  right,  Lucy ;  now  we  can  talk  things 
over." 


268  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

He  felt  her  rigid  body  relax  within  his  encir- 
cling arm,  and  he  smiled  in  her  face  with  trium- 
phant fervor  as  he  drew  her  closer  to  his  side. 

The  rest  of  the  way,  on  the  lonely  unfrequented 
road,  they  talked  as  lovers  do,  and  planned  for  that 
future  which,  for  the  gallant  soldier,  might  never 
be. 

Frank  fully  approved  Lucetta's  plan  of  educat- 
ing herself,  for  he  had  learned  among  other  things 
at  Wahoo  University  that,  while  women's  minds 
might  not  be  quite  equal  to  the  curriculum  for 
men,  the  ancient  and  time-honored  theory  that  they 
ceased  to  develop  after  eighteen  was  a  fallacy, 
like  curing  witchcraft  by  burning  the  witch,  or 
the  king's  evil  by  touching  the  king.  He  was  wise 
enough  to  recognize  that  an  educated  wife  would 
better  fit  into  his  ambitious  schemes  for  the  future 
than  an  ignorant  one,  while,  to  do  him  justice,  he 
was  proud  of  the  pluck  and  perseverance  that  had 
led  Lucetta  to  the  realization  of  her  dreams.  He 
told  her  that  after  the  war  he  should  study  law, 
and  his  aspirations  were  such  as  to  carry  him  into 
the  halls  of  national  legislation.  But  if  he  gave  up 
his  life  in  battle  he  would  have  done  his  duty,  and 
that  was  all  a  man  coidd  do. 

His  hopes  and  fears  he  unreservedly  poured 
into  her  willing  ears,  and  only  too  speedily  the 
spires  of  Crof ton  came  into  view  from  the  top  of 
the  last  hill  above  the  town. 

"  Lucy,"  he  said,  "  little  did  I  think  this  morn- 
ing that  I  'd  be  nearly  the  happiest  man  in  Middle 


CAPITULATION  269 

County.  I  did  not  dream  of  going  off  to  war  and 
leaving  the  dearest,  noblest  sweetheart  a  soldier 
ever  left  behind.  I  '11  never  laugh  again  at  the 
fellows  that  used  to  steal  away  and  hide  to  read 
certain  letters  the  rest  of  us  used  to  joke  so  irrev- 
erently about,  for  I  '11  know  how  to  sympathize 
when  I  get  yours.  One  thing  more  would  make 
me  the  very  happiest  man  alive." 

"What  is  it,  Frank?"  she  asked  ingenuously, 
and,  looking  up  into  his  ardent  eyes,  she  read  his 
desire  therein. 

"  Oh,  I  can't,  Frank !  "  she  faltered,  and  shrank 
from  him. 

"  Can't  you  give  me  one  kiss  of  your  own  ac- 
cord? It  will  be  the  last  good-by,  dear,  that  we 
take  here,  for  you  know  you  would  n't  like  public 
demonstrations.     Just  kiss  me  once  !  "  he  pleaded. 

She  looked  up,  quickly  dropped  on  his  lips  the 
first  kiss  she  had  ever  bestowed  on  a  lover,  then 
buried  her  face  on  his  breast,  trembling  and  crying. 

He  dimly  wondered  why  this  most  chaste  of 
women  had  been  reserved  for  him,  whose  lips  had 
hitherto  showered  kisses  with  careless  prodigality  ; 
it  was  like  asking  a  Vestal  to  quit  her  high  office ; 
the  young  soldier  felt  it,  and  knew  Lucetta  could 
never  have  bestowed  that  kiss  without  her  faithful 
love. 

"  God  bless  you,  dear,  and  make  me  worthier  of 
you !  "  he  said  fervently. 


CHAPTER  XXVni 

THE  TREASON   TRIAL 

After  the  soldiers  had  withdrawn  from  the 
mimic  battlefield  at  Kidgely,  comparatively  little 
punishment  followed  on  this  act  of  insurrection. 
The  governor's  leniency  in  this  particular  was  a 
matter  of  surprise  to  every  one,  and  to  none  more 
so  than  to  the  Knights  themselves.  With  rare 
wisdom,  he  made  no  autocratic  display  of  power  at 
a  time  when  it  would  have  been  most  hazardous  to 
do  so.  Such  a  course  would  certainly  have  firmly 
united  the  scattered  forces  of  "  Butternuts,"  and 
led  to  a  more  effective  organization.  He  placed 
the  responsibility  on  the  leaders.  One  by  one  they 
were  apprehended,  until  Milligan,  Bowles,  Dodd, 
Heffren,  and  Coultiss  were  imprisoned.  Such  men 
as  Harv  Wilson  were  held  in  the  jails  of  the 
county  seats  in  which  they  lived,  and  were  ulti- 
mately released  on  bail.  The  rank  and  file  were 
left  to  the  torment  of  their  own  fears,  dreading 
yet  expecting  hourly  arrest,  followed  by  worse 
punishment,  regarding  which  their  untutored  im- 
aginations ran  to  extremes,  and  they  were  in  an 
agony  of  suspense.  The  more  cowardly  members 
ran  away  from  the  State ;  others  were  in  hiding 


THE  TREASON  TRIAL  271 

in  caves  and  secret  places  in  the  ravine  near  their 
homes. 

The  preparation  for  the  uprising  of  August  16th 
had  been  simidtaneous  in  all  the  Temples  through- 
out the  State.  But  Governor  Morton  was  fully  in- 
formed, and  prepared  at  every  point.  When  well 
convinced  that  an  insurrection  was  imminent,  with 
matchless  forbearance  he  ordered  written  notices 
sent  to  the  leaders  that,  if  they  were  found  en  route 
to  Indianapolis  on  August  15th  and  16th,  they  would 
be  held  personally  responsible  for  resulting  dis- 
orders. 

The  leaders,  fully  convinced  of  the  futility  of 
insurrection,  sent  cipher  messages  far  and  near  to 
the  commanders  of  the  County  Temples,  who,  in 
turn,  were  to  notify  the  Branch  Temples  of  the 
discovery  of  their  plans,  and  the  danger  of  persist- 
ing in  attempting  to  carry  them  out.  The  small 
outposts  remote  from  telegraphic  communication, 
that  received  mail  only  two  or  three  times  a  week, 
were  informed  by  couriers,  and  the  message  chosen 
was  the  one  Frank  Neal  had  intercepted  on  its 
way  to  Harv  Wilson,  "  Look  out  for  a  drove  of 
mules ; "  for,  to  meet  any  emergency,  troops  had 
been  ordered  into  the  localities  where  greater  dis- 
order was  anticipated,  —  those  well-known  strong- 
holds of  treason  on  which  the  governor  had  kept  a 
vigilant  eye,  in  the  midst  of  terrible  harassment. 

Three  expeditions  in  wagons  actually  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  city  limits  of  the  capital,  but  were 
met  by  officers  and  ordered  to  return  home,  or  be 


272  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

taken  prisoners  to  be  treated  as  enemies ;  and  they 
promptly  retreated,  nor  stood  upon  the  order  of 
their  going» 

If  lenient  toward  the  masses,  Governor  Morton 
was  swift  to  punish  the  leaders. 

It  was  a  solemn  hour  when,  for  the  first  time  in 
her  history,  the  Commonwealth  arraigned  six  of 
her  citizens  for  the  monstrous  crime  of  internecine 
treason.  These  six,  in  their  own  persons,  stood  for 
some  thousands  whom  they  had  instigated  to  trea- 
sonable acts. 

On  that  morning  in  September  when  the  com- 
mission first  met,  the  dingy  old  state-house  was 
the  centre  of  interest  to  the  entire  State,  indeed  to 
the  nation.  Within  the  court-room  a  crowd  had 
gathered.  The  seven  commissioners  and  the  judge 
advocate  were  in  their  places,  and  before  them,  on 
trial  for  life,  were  to  be  brought  the  heads  of  the 
conspiracy.  The  usual  preliminaries  were  gone 
thi'ough,  and,  when  the  actual  trial  began,  interest 
and  suspense  had  reached  painful  intensity. 

Dodd  was  the  first  of  the  conspirators  called  to 
trial.  His  air  of  supreme  fanaticism  still  hung 
about  him.  He  seemed  incapable  of  realizing  his 
position,  and  sat  unmoved  on  the  witness-stand, 
with  eyes  filled  with  burning  ardor,  and  a  visible 
exaltation  of  countenance.  Lingering  on  the  edge 
of  the  crowd  were  Harv  Wilson,  who  was  out  on 
bail,  and  had  come  secretly  to  the  trial,  and  some 
of  his  confreres.  There  is  a  majesty  in  the  law 
and  its  slow  execution  that  makes  itself  felt  by  a 


THE  TREASON  TRIAL  273 

mere  display  of  its  machinery,  stately,  relentless, 
cold,  and  incorruptible.  Brought  face  to  face  with 
it  in  issues  that  involve  life  and  death,  these 
offenders  recognized  its  immense  potency  with  fear 
and  trembling.  For  the  first  time,  they  felt  actual 
terror  of  the  power  of  the  law  and  its  executive. 

A  deep  silence  prevailed  in  the  court  room  as 
the  bailiff  brought  forward  the  first  witness  for  the 
State.  The  rustling  of  law  papers  could  be  dis- 
tinctly heard.  Even  Dodd  was  impressed,  and  cast 
down  his  eyes,  while  through  his  fanatical  mind 
flashed  forebodings  of  mortal  peril.  An  absolute 
hush  followed.  When  the  oath  was  administered 
to  the  witness,  and  his  soft  Southern  voice  answered 
distinctly  and  reverently,  there  was  a  straining  of 
eyes  and  a  rising  on  tiptoe  to  see  him.  Dodd 
lifted  a  startled  glance  to  the  face  of  the  witness, 
and  gazed  bewildered  on  the  man  who  held  his 
every  secret,  and,  as  the  thought  penetrated  his 
confused  senses  that  this  man  held  his  life  in  his 
power,  that  he  was  his  familiar  adviser,  his  coad- 
jutor in  the  most  outrageous  schemes  of  treason, 
and  held  in  his  grasp  every  thread  of  the  conspi- 
racy, he  was  unmanned. 

He  blinked  as  one  does  on  coming  from  grateful 
darkness  into  painful  light,  scarcely  believing  in 
the  evidence  of  his  own  eyes.  He  looked  again. 
There  was  no  mistaking  the  tall,  slender  fellow, 
the  red-blonde  hair,  the  marked  accent,  the  ready 
speech,  of  his  ally  the  "  Secretary  of  the  Grand 
Council  of  the  State  of  Kentucky."     At  that  in- 


274  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

stant  Dodd  lost  all  hope  of  escape  from  the  doom 
of  a  traitor.  His  gaze  traveled  over  the  cold  com- 
posed faces  of  the  commission,  then  turned  to  the 
people,  who  were  agape  with  curiosity,  and  who 
had  no  knowledge  of  the  tragic  drama  played  by 
the  two  actors  before  them.  But  there  was  no- 
thing to  cheer  him  in  the  aroused  faces  of  the 
multitude. 

As  Grundy  with  terrible  accuracy  laid  bare  the 
facts  of  the  conspiracy,  from  the  stupendous 
schemes  of  Vallandigham  to  the  meetings  in  the 
cabin  on  Harv  Wilson's  farm,  the  evidence  be- 
came more  damning,  and  the  ghastly  phantom  of 
death  more  real  to  the  man  who  listened  while  the 
smooth  stream  of  revelation  poured  upon  the  ears 
of  the  astounded  people. 

After  one  amazed  glance,  Harv,  who  had  risen 
to  stare  over  the  heads  of  those  in  front  of  him, 
sank  down  to  his  place  panic-stricken,  and  cursed 
under  his  breath,  when  he  recognized  in  the  wit- 
ness the  rag-peddler,  Oliver  Tapp.  He  muttered 
savagely,  "  The  old  hell- witch  was  right  after  all ! " 
and  lost  no  time  in  leaving  the  court  room. 

He  crossed  the  canal,  where  he  and  two  or  three 
confederates  had  mean  lodgings,  and  reported  to 
them  the  terrifying  incident  that  gave  so  dramatic 
a  turn  to  the  trial,  and  then  unfolded  his  own  plans. 
One  of  these  men,  Lattam,  had  been  a  rebel  officer 
and  was  bold  and  defiant ;  Pearson,  the  other,  had 
been  on  the  staff  of  the  Supreme  Commander,  but 
neither  was  well  known  in  Indianapolis. 


THE  TREASON  TRIAL  275 

Zerfus  had  followed  Harv  up  from  the  country 
with  the  servility  of  a  serf. 

"  It 's  all  up  with  us,"  said  Harv,  "  if  we  're 
caught !  That  fellow  knows  everything.  The  best 
thin  2:  we  can  do  is  to  light  out  for  Canada  this 
very  night." 

Zerfus,  of  course,  agreed  with  Harv,  but  Lat- 
tam  and  Pearson  were  experienced  in  intrigue,  had 
a  reckless  love  of  adventure,  and  were  incautious 
to  a  point  where  life  had  no  value.  They  both 
repudiated  the  idea. 

"  And  leave  these  men  without  help  ?  " 

"  It  's  likely  they  can  get  out  of  a  military 
prison  guarded  day  and  night,  ain't  it  ?  "  sneered 
Harv. 

"  When  they  have  friends  outside,  they  've  been 
known  to  do  it ;  that  is,  friends  that  are  n't  afraid 
to  risk  something,"  said  Pearson  scornfully. 

Harv  was  tasting  the  humiliation  of  a  craven, 
for  his  companions  had  discerned  his  utter  selfish- 
ness. They  suspected,  if  an  emergency  should 
arise,  that  to  save  himself  he  would  turn  informer. 

They  said  nothing  more,  however,  and  a  week 
passed.  During  that  time  Grundy  had  related, 
bit  by  bit,  with  wonderful  accuracy,  the  details  of 
the  wildest  scheme  of  modern  history,  —  a  wide- 
spread, ill-planned  attempt  at  revolution  not  unfit- 
ting the  invention  of  a  knight  of  old  who  broke 
lances  against  harmless  windmills ;  and  he  proved 
himseK  the  most  patriotic,  reliable,  acute,  and  cour- 
ageous man  in  the  employ  of  the  government,  and, 


276  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

moreover,  conscientiously  earnest  in  breaking  up 
internecine  treason,  from  which  he  himself  had 
suffered  greatly.  His  knowledge  of  the  part  each 
of  the  six  heads  of  the  conspiracy  had  taken  was 
perfect  and  convincing,  and  fell  on  their  ears  with 
the  fatal  finality  of  the  cry  of  the  doomsman. 

During  this  interval  Harv's  associates  came  in, 
and  Pearson  said  to  him  :  — 

"  Well,  Wilson,  we  've  found  a  way  to  be  of  use 
to  our  Grand  Commander.     Will  you  help  ?  " 

Harv  gave  a  grudging  assent  and  said  :  — 

"  But  I  'd  like  to  know  your  plans." 

"  Well,  we  went  to  Dodd's  brother,"  said  Lat- 
tam,  "  and  told  him  to  use  his  influence  with  the 
authorities  to  get  him  removed  from  the  military 
prison  to  better  quarters,  and  the  fools  did  it !  " 
All  three  laughed  derisively. 

"  You  ain't  jokin'  ? "  exclaimed  Harv  incredu- 
lously. 

"  No.  Dodd  's  now  in  a  room  in  the  third  story 
of  the  Post-office  Building." 

"  It  beats  me  how  he  managed  it,"  observed 
Harv. 

"  Well,  he  gave  his  parole  of  honor  he  would  n't 
try  to  escape,  and  his  brother  pledged  all  he  was 
worth  to  the  same  end,  and  that  clinched  it. 
Moved  he  was." 

"  Precious  fools  they  were,"  said  Lattam  con- 
temptuously. 

"  Well,  I  don't  see  that  it 's  any  easier  to  get 
him  out  there.     I  reckon  he 's  guarded." 


THE  TREASON  TRIAL  277 

"  There  's  not  a  guard  outside,"  said  Pearson 
slowly,  as  if  to  impress  his  hearers  with  the  egre- 
gious folly  of  the  authorities.  "  They  depend  on 
the  police." 

"  Well,  I  don't  see  how  he  can  get  out  of  the 
third  story  anyway ;  he  ain't  got  wings,"  Harv 
said  doggedly. 

"  No,  but  he  's  got  a  ball  of  twine,"  laughed  Lat- 
tam,  "  which  won't  be  so  awkward  for  him  to  han- 
dle." 

"  Sometimes  they  come  in  handy.  Go  on  and 
tell  me  your  plan.  I  see  you  've  got  one,  though 
I  'm  blamed  if  I  see  how  you  '11  work  it,"  said 
Harv  skeptically. 

"  Well,  this  afternoon  three  of  his  dear  friends 
got  permission  to  visit  him ;  I  was  one  of  them. 
We  were  n't  allowed  to  stay  long.  When  we 
went  away  we  left  behind  a  ball  of  twine,  and  I 
had  previously  prepared  a  little  note  telling  him  to 
look  carefully  for  it  after  we  were  gone,  and  de- 
tailing the  whole  plan  of  escape.  I  shook  hands 
last  with  him,  and  left  the  note  in  his  hand." 

"  What 's  the  next  step  in  the  game  ?  "  asked 
Harv,  more  interested  and  hopeful. 

He  recognized  in  Lattam  a  fellow  of  greater 
craft  and  sterner  resolution  than  himself  ;  a  leader 
by  right  of  ability  to  prevail  in  the  face  of  desper- 
ate obstacles  ;  his  spirit,  broken  by  failure,  yielded 
him  fealty. 

"  My  plan  is  simple  and  easy  enough.  To-mor- 
row morning  about  three  o'clock  we  will  try  to  get 


278  KNIGHTS  IN  FUSTIAN 

a  rope  to  him.  At  our  signal  lie  will  let  down  the 
twine,  and  when  the  road  is  clear  he  can  escape 
down  the  rope.  Pearson  will  watch  at  the  alley 
for  the  policeman  to  pass  on  his  beat,  and  will  then 
turn  out  the  gas  that  lights  it.  These  October 
mornings  are  as  black  as  hell,  and  the  alley  will 
be  as  dark  as  a  coal  shaft.  If  he  can  get  down 
the  rope  the  rest  is  easy." 

"A  good  plan,  if  you  can  work  it,"  observed 
Harv  dubiously. 

"  We  '11  work  it  all  right,  only  Piatt 's  got  drunk 
and  jailed,  and  we  have  n't  any  trusted  man  to  be 
ready  with  the  carriage." 

Harv  saw  what  vms  expected  of  him,  and  re- 
sented the  implication  conveyed  by  Lattam  in  not 
asking  him  boldly. 

To  right  himself  in  their  esteem,  he  covered  up 
his  chagrin  and  said  heartily :  — 

"  I  'm  your  man  !  " 

"  All  right,"  said  Lattam,  so  cordially  that  Harv 
felt  he  was  in  favor  again. 

At  the  appointed  hour  these  three  men,  Lattam, 
Pearson,  and  Wilson,  grown  subtile  in  conspiracy, 
were  at  their  posts.  And  the  next  morning  the 
city  rang  with  the  escape  of  the  prisoner,  Dodd. 

Harv  secretly  returned  home,  a  defeated  and 
crestfallen  man,  whose  influence  in  the  neighbor- 
hood was  dead.  Bold  villany  can  be  forgiven, 
but  not  weak  failure,  and  Harv  tasted  to  the  full 
the  ignominy  of  deposed  leadership. 

The  flight  of  Dodd  had  the  effect  of  making  the 


THE  TREASON  TRIAL  279 

surveillance  over  the  other  prisoners  more  constant, 
and  perhaps  influenced  the  severity  of  their  sen- 
tence, which  was  death. 

At  Ridgely,  reports  of  the  trial  were  received 
with  eager  concern,  the  testimony  of  Tapp  and 
Frank  Neal  being  of  special  interest.  The  revela- 
tion of  Tapp's  identity  was  received  with  amaze- 
ment. Every  peculiarity  of  the  man  was  can- 
vassed, every  speech  recalled  with  that  minute 
attention  to  details  the  most  trifling  peculiar  to 
country  neighborhoods.  In  the  mean  time  he  was 
exalted  to  heroship  with  Frank.  But  there  was 
consternation  when  a  rumor  reached  there  that 
Bowles  and  Milligan  were  writing  confessions,  and 
implicating  men  whose  names  hitherto  had  been 
unmentioned,  or  who  had  escaped  with  slight  pun- 
ishment, and  there  was  an  exodus  to  Canada  that 
bade  fair  to  depopulate  the  county.  Harv  Wilson 
was  one  of  the  first  to  flee  ;  but  old  Mrs.  Bowles 
stood  her  ground  —  defying  everybody,  from  the 
governor  down  to  the  constable. 

Later  on,  when  they  heard  of  the  assassination 
of  Lincoln,  —  grown  pure  and  exalted  by  high  and 
noble  purposes  until  fitted  for  the  martyrdom  he 
met,  —  there  came  to  them  the  realization  of  the 
true  meaning  of  domestic  treason,  and  the  influ- 
ence of  the  order  was  broken.  To  this  day,  there 
are  no  claimants  in  Middle  County  to  the  spurs  of 
the  Knights  in  Fustian. 


KLECTROTYPED  AND  PRINTED 
BY   H.   O.    HOUGHTON   AND  CO. 

CAMBRIDGE,  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


Wilmer 
695 


